Heavy downpours force school and college closures in Thane, Navi Mumbai, Panvel, and Palghar on August 20, Maharashtra.
Intense monsoon activity hit several regions of Maharashtra on August 20, 2020, causing widespread disruptions and heavy rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red nowcast warning for districts such as Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, predicting intense rain spells, thunderstorms, and gusty winds up to 60 km/h.
In Thane, the city received very significant rainfall, with 186.91 mm recorded from 8:30 am on August 19 to 8:30 am on August 20. The cumulative rainfall for the year up to that date was already above 2300 mm, highlighting an active monsoon with intense spells. Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, including Palghar and Raigad, experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall, causing serious waterlogging, traffic congestion, and temporary disruption of local train services.
The heavy rainfall led to disruptions in the local train services, with the trains being halted due to the weather conditions. Officials appealed to parents and guardians to ensure children remain safe and avoid stepping out unnecessarily due to the weather conditions.
In a bid to ensure the safety of students, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation did not declare holidays for schools and colleges for Wednesday, debunking fake messages circulating on social media. However, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation declared a holiday for all primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools. Panvel and Palghar authorities also announced holidays for schools and colleges in their regions.
Authorities have asked citizens to remain indoors and travel only if it is extremely important. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at several places, with isolated pockets likely to receive extremely heavy showers defined as rainfall of 21 cm or more, over Mumbai today.
In other Maharashtra regions such as Pune, Satara, and Kolhapur, the cities were under orange alerts for heavy rainfall around this period, with Pune receiving significantly less rain compared to coastal Konkan areas. Central Maharashtra and Vidarbha experienced moderate to light rains. The overall forecast around mid-August 2020 predicted continuous heavy to very heavy monsoon precipitation for the Konkan coast (Mumbai, Thane, Palghar), parts of Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, and Goa through August 18 and beyond, with flood concerns and rising river levels.
In summary, on August 20, 2020, Thane, Navi Mumbai, and the coastal Konkan region were under intense monsoon conditions with heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds, causing significant disruptions, while inland Maharashtra saw lighter but consistent rainfall associated with the active monsoon season. Citizens are advised to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel during these weather conditions.
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