Severe waterlogging in Pune’s Bhosari area on Friday caused massive traffic disruptions and forced residents to wade through flooded streets, as heavy rainfall lashed parts of Maharashtra under an intensifying southwest monsoon. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded an orange alert for Pune and several other districts, forecasting more rainfall in the next 24 hours, raising concerns about further disruptions.
Widespread Monsoon Impact Across Maharashtra
The southwest monsoon, which arrived in Kerala on May 24—a week earlier than usual—has now picked up pace across Maharashtra after a brief stall in late May. Visuals from Pune’s Punawale bridge underpass captured the extent of traffic congestion caused by relentless rains. The Bhosari locality, falling under Pimpri-Chinchwad limits, was among the worst affected, with commuters struggling to navigate submerged roads.
The IMD has issued both red and orange alerts for several parts of the state, including Mumbai, Pune, Palghar, and the hilly regions of Satara and Kolhapur. A red alert specifically covers Raigad and Ratnagiri districts, where extremely heavy rainfall is expected. The forecast warns of continued heavy downpours along the Konkan coast and other regions till at least June 15.
Early Monsoon and Record Rainfall Trends
India recorded its wettest May since 1901, with an average rainfall of 126.7 mm, largely driven by the early onset of monsoon and sustained downpours in southern and eastern parts of the country. According to the IMD, the southwest monsoon rainfall this season is likely to be 106% of the Long Period Average (LPA), a slight increase from its April forecast of 105%. The LPA for India stands at 868.6 mm.
The IMD anticipates that June will witness above-normal rainfall—more than 108% of the LPA. This bodes well for India’s agricultural sector, particularly the Kharif crop season, which is heavily dependent on timely and adequate monsoon rains. Historically, monsoon performance is closely linked with the country’s agricultural productivity and broader economic outlook.
In recent years, early onset of monsoon has become increasingly common, with early arrivals noted in 2022 and 2024 as well. The IMD has been issuing onset forecasts for Kerala since 2005, with a high accuracy rate, except in 2015. The July rainfall forecast is expected in the last week of June as IMD continues to monitor evolving monsoon conditions.
