The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Mahabaleshwar, in Satara district, one of Maharashtra's most well-patronised hill stations, experienced its wettest day ever on Friday. Ending at 8.30am on Friday, the 24-hour rainfall recorded was 594mm.
The IMD has issued an alert for the next 24 hours for the districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg in coastal Konkan and also for Pune, Satara and Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra. The Met Department has predicted isolated extremely heavy falls are very likely over Konkan, Goa and central Maharashtra in the next two days. The Met Department also predicted thT heavy rains WOULD batter several parts of west and south India.
According to the IMD, Mahabaleshwar, some 260 kilometres from here, got 482 mm of rainfall on Wednesday and 461 on Thursday. In the last 10 days, Mahabaleshwar has received 1886.6mm — which was 40 per cent of the total July rain quota. Between 2000 and 2021, on seven occasions extreme heavy rainfall events (more than 400mm in 24 hours) were reported either in July or August. Even though it is a high rainfall receiving area, with June and September average of 5130mm, this trend of intense spells within a short duration is on a rise.
The IMD predicted scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls are likely to continue over Gujarat till July 23, but its intensity will increase from July 24. "Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls very likely to continue over west coast during next 2-3 days with reduction thereafter," the IMD said.
"Isolated extremely heavy falls are also very likely over Konkan, Goa, the adjoining ghat areas of central Maharashtra during July 23-24 with reduction thereafter and over coastal and south interior Karnataka, (from) today July 23," it said.
Maharashtra, especially the Konkan region, has been witnessing a deluge. In neighbouring Goa, several parts, including Sattari and Bicholim tehsils in north and Dharbandora in south, are reeling under a flood-like situation. A large number of houses was inundated as the water level of some rivers rose following heavy rains over the past few days.The IMD said scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls are likely to continue over Gujarat till July 23, with an increase in intensity from July 24.
"It is likely to increase to fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls on July 24-26. Isolated extremely heavy falls also likely over Gujarat region July 25," the IMD added.
It said fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy falls are likely to continue over east and adjoining central India during July 23-25 with reduction thereafter.
Isolated extremely heavy falls also likely over west Madhya Pradesh on July 23 and July 24 and east Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha on July 23, the IMD added.