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Updated: Jun 30, 2019 05:12 IST

Heavy showers for the second consecutive day caused chaos across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region on Saturday. The overnight downpour slowed traffic on most arterial roads, including the Western Express Highway, delayed trains, caused wall collapses and felled trees.

A school van driver (46) was electrocuted in Thane after he touched a cable entangled in a fallen tree. “There was a power cut in the area and Nagesh Nirange thought it was due to the wire getting entangled in a fallen tree. He went to remove the cable and got electrocuted as it was a live wire,” said Santosh Kadam, chief of regional disaster management cell (RDMC), Thane.

In other rain-related mishaps, at least 10 cars were damaged in wall collapse incidents at Ghatkopar, Andheri and Sion, while a balcony of a dilapidated residential building in Kurla came crashing down. No injuries reported were reported from any of the locations. Over 110 trees were reported to have fallen across Mumbai and Thane.

The city recorded its second-highest 24-hour (8 am-8 am) June rainfall in the past decade on Saturday — 234.8mm. The highest 24-hour June rainfall in the past 10 years – 283.4mm — was recorded on June 19, 2015, while the all-time high – 399mm — was recorded on June 10, 1991. Last year, the city recorded 231.4mm rain on June 25.

The city has so far recorded 97% (491.2mm) of the average rainfall required for June – 505mm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Between 8.30am Friday and 8.30am Saturday, the Santacruz weather station recorded 234.8mm rain falling under the “extremely heavy” rain category. During the same period, Colaba recorded 81.2mm rain (heavy), IMD said.

Heavy rain is expected to continue on Sunday, with very heavy showers in some areas. However, rainfall intensity is likely to reduce from Sunday night with heavy rain expected only at a few places on Monday.

“Very active monsoon conditions are being witnessed along the Mumbai coast and surrounding areas. Deep westerly winds combined with the monsoon pressure gradient is likely to help continue heavy downpour over Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and other areas along the west coast,” said KS Hosalikar, deputy director general, western region, IMD. “With the marginal deterioration of this pressure gradient by Sunday afternoon, rain intensity is likely to reduce over the next 48 hours.”

On Saturday, heavy rain was recorded in the suburbs at 69.2mm between 8.30am and 5.30pm.

During the same time, south Mumbai recorded moderate showers at 46.2mm. After relatively less intense rain during afternoon, showers intensified from 5.30pm onwards across Mumbai.

Up to 8.30 am Thursday, Mumbai was witnessing rainfall deficiency of 55%. The city surpassed its rainfall target in less than 48 hours. South Mumbai, however, has achieved 57% of its June average with 308.8mm rain till 5.30pm Saturday against the average rainfall for June at 540.9mm.

Meanwhile, with heavy monsoon hitting Jharkhand, three people, including two teenagers, died in lightning strikes during heavy rains since Friday night.