New Delhi: Monsoon rains strengthened notably across India on Sunday, leading to major flight disruptions in Mumbai, triggering severe weather alerts in Kerala, Odisha and Jharkhand, and bringing widespread showers to Delhi.

Mumbai bore the brunt of the weather as heavy overnight downpours pounded the financial capital, forcing authorities to halt runway operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for an hour. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) maintained a red alert for the city, predicting persistent rain and isolated cases of extreme downpours.

The runway closure caused extensive disruptions to both arriving and departing flights, with passengers facing average departure delays of 75 minutes and arrival delays of nearly half an hour.

"At approximately 10.17 am, adverse weather conditions, including strong gusty winds of up to 42 knots and reduced visibility due to heavy rain, impacted runway operations," Mumbai International Airport Ltd stated. Normal services resumed after an hour as conditions improved. Official statistics revealed that several pockets of Mumbai recorded over 200 mm of rain, with a few areas witnessing up to 300 mm over a 24-hour window.

Meanwhile, in Odisha, a distinct low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal developed into a depression, pushing state authorities to place all districts on high alert. The IMD forecast that the weather system would likely cross the northern Odisha coast between Chandbali and Digha within 24 hours, threatening heavy downpours across Odisha and West Bengal.

Large swathes of Kerala also experienced intense rain on Sunday, placing several regions under orange and yellow alerts. The weather bureau issued orange alerts for Kannur and Kasaragod for Monday, extending them to Kozhikode, Kannur, and Kasaragod for Tuesday, while yellow alerts covered multiple northern districts. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority directed residents in zones vulnerable to landslides, mudslides, and flash floods to relocate to safer areas if instructed by local officials.

In the national capital, moderate showers hit various sectors of Delhi on Sunday, offering respite from the humid conditions. According to IMD data up to 2.30 pm, Chhatarpur recorded the highest rainfall at 49 mm, followed by Gurugram (35 mm), Mehrauli (18 mm), Greater Noida (17 mm), Najafgarh (8 mm) and Janakpuri (7 mm). Forecasters predicted a cloudy sky with ongoing moderate showers, with the maximum temperature expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius.

Further east, the IMD issued a yellow alert for Jharkhand, warning of thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds across all 24 districts from Monday to Thursday.

Weather officials noted that overcast skies and light-to-moderate rain would likely persist state-wide, with heavy rain expected in isolated pockets, causing maximum temperatures to drop by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius. Regions including Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Hazaribag, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, and Ranchi are on alert for heavy rainfall on Monday.

 

PTI