Torrents of rain today could trigger urban flood, landslips in Pune

PUNE: Weathermen issued a red alert for extremely heavy rain in isolated places on Saturday for Konkan-Goa and Madhya Maharashtra, including the ghat areas of Pune, Nashik, Mumbai, Palghar, Raigad and Thane.
Urban flooding in some parts of Mumbai city and its suburban areas is likely. Since there is a likelihood of a sudden rise in water levels of rivers, all precautions must be taken for the safety of road and railway bridges in Konkan and Goa, the Central Water Commission said.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said high convergence of strong moist westerly/southwesterly winds from the Arabian Sea along the west coast and a cyclonic circulation over south Gujarat and the neighbourhood in lower atmospheric (tropospheric) levels, may cause fairly widespread to widespread rainfall.
Isolated heavy to very heavy rain is expected over the next five days over Gujarat, Konkan-Goa, Madhya Maharashtra and coastal Karnataka.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) also issued a flood alert for parts of the state on Friday, for coastal rivers passing through districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Palghar, Thane and Raigad.
CWC sources told TOI that heavy to very heavy rainfall had occurred in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts which led to a rise in the water of coastal rivers in those areas.
“As rainfall of higher intensity is likely to continue for at least 3-4 days, there was likelihood of a rise in the level of coastal rivers along the west coast in Maharashtra and Goa in the districts of south and north Goa, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Palghar, Thane and Raigad,” the commission said.
There was a likelihood of isolated extremely heavy rain in Nashik, Pune, Satara districts in the Western Ghat areas. It can lead to a rapid rise in water levels in Damanganga and its tributaries in Nashik district and Valsad district of Gujarat.
“A rise in the water levels of Krishna and its tributaries in the districts of Pune and Satara during the next 3-4 days could also be expected. Since most dams in this region are only 25-40% of their full capacity, no major threat of spilling is anticipated,” the commission said.
Anupam Kashyapi, head of weather, IMD, Pune told TOI that weather systems akin to last year when very heavy rains were experienced over parts of Konkan and north Madhya Maharashtra in July were brewing.
These include an upper air circulation over Gujarat and its neighbourhood appearing on July 4, coupled with strong westerly winds from the Arabian Sea.
“This system is likely to develop into a mid-tropospheric cyclonic circulation around July 5-6, which may cause very heavy to extremely heavy rain in isolated places in North Maharashtra and Gujarat. The westerly winds are likely to get stronger on July 4 and 5. A pressure gradient force over Knkan-Goa and West Madhya Maharashtra is also likely to aid widespread rainfall,” he said.
A sheer zone is also affecting the southern central part of Maharashtra and is likely to work in combination with other systems to bring fairly widespread rains to widespread rains in parts of the state till July 5, Kashyapi said. Rainfall intensity should start reducing from July 6 evening, he said.
“Travellers have been cautioned about reduced visibility over the ghat areas in Pune and Nashik on July 4. Vehicles crossing ghats and the expressway should move slowly. Chances of landslides in prone areas in the affected districts cannot be ruled out during this wet spell,” Kashyapi added.
In three hours till 10.30am on Friday, Mumbai city had already recorded more than 100mm rainfall.