May-Hem in Mumbai: How earliest ever monsoon arrival cought authorities off guard

Mumbai experienced its earliest monsoon onset ever recorded, breaking a century-old rainfall record for May with 295mm. The city received very heavy rainfall, with Colaba recording 144.3 mm and Santacruz 74.3 mm. The intense showers exposed the city’s unpreparedness, leading to waterlogging in new areas, disruption of train and flight services, and incidents of structural damage.