India's monsoon lashes Mumbai as rains arrive early

MUMBAI — Lashing rains swamped India's financial capital Mumbai on Monday as the annual monsoon arrived two weeks earlier than usual, according to weather forecasters.

Heavy rains cooling temperatures, welcomed by farmers for their crops but causing havoc each year in cities by flooding the transport infrastructure, are normally expected in the southwestern state of Maharashtra in early June.

The Indian Meteorological Department, or IMD, warned of "extremely heavy rainfall" in Mumbai and the city authorities said a red alert had been issued until Tuesday.

"All citizens are advised to stay indoors and avoid travel unless necessary," the city authorities said.

The IMD said the rains had arrived in Mumbai on Monday, "16 days earlier than usual" — the earliest in nearly a quarter-century. Rains are usually expected around June 11.

Locals said low-lying areas in Kurla, Sion, Dadar and Parel were inundated, and vehicles were seen negotiating waterlogged streets.

The rains also affected some flights to and from Mumbai, following which several airlines issued advisories to passengers.

The incessant rains also flooded railway tracks, causing delays in suburban train services, which were running 5 to 10 minutes behind schedule.

"This marks the earliest monsoon advancement over Mumbai during the period 2001-25", it said.

South Asia is getting hotter and in recent years has seen shifting weather patterns, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon.

The southwest monsoon is a colossal sea breeze that brings South Asia 70-80 percent of its annual rainfall between June and September every year.

It occurs when summer heat warms the landmass of the subcontinent, causing the air to rise and suck in cooler Indian Ocean winds — which then produce enormous volumes of rain.

The monsoon is vital for agriculture, the livelihoods of millions of farmers and for food security. But it brings destruction every year in the form of landslides and floods.

In India, the southwest monsoon normally arrives at the southern tip of Kerala around June 1, and moves north to cover the country by early July.

Agencies - Xinhua