Even though the city received excess rain for the month, the showers eluded the catchment areas, lakes that supply water across Mumbai. Although the Tulsi Lake was overflowing on Tuesday, the water stock across seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai was just 32.7% of the required amount of water storage. BMC’s data reveals that the live storage, last year, was 75% of the required quantum during the same period.
After breaking the record of its July rainfall average (840mm) within the first 15 days of the month, the city broke it's all-time record for July rainfall on Tuesday. The rainfall recorded between July 1 and July 28 (8.30pm) is 1,474.4 mm, which is the highest in the last 76 years. Before this, July 2014 was recorded as the wettest July with 1,468.5mm of rainfall recorded that year.
On Tuesday, south Mumbai recorded intermittent intense spells through the day, with 87.6 mm (heavy) rain from 8.30am to 8.30pm while the suburbs recorded 7.8 mm rain. A yellow alert (heavy rain) has been issued for Wednesday and Saturday by the weather bureau.
This year Mumbai has received 82.6% of its seasonal average rainfall from June 1 to July 28. However, showers have eluded the catchment areas affecting the life storage and lake levels of the city. BMC officials fear that if the situation remains the same during August and September then there might be shortage of water. Seven Lakes -- Bhatsa, Tansa, Tulsi, Vihar ,Upper Vaitarna, Middle Vaitarna and Modak Sagar provide water to Mumbai. “Since the catchment areas are located further inland from the coast, cloud bands could not have penetrated. However, this trend might change in August and September,” said an official from IMD.
