NHAI raises traffic safety issue over blocked drains

There are no records since 1962 about such an early arrival of Monsoon in Pune dist, hence this is a historical arrival for Pune. SD SANAP, senior meteorologist, IMD

- Vicky Pathare

PUNE: The southwest monsoon made an unseasonably early entry into Pune on Monday, marking its earliest arrival in the city in over six decades.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the northern limit of the monsoon now passes through Mumbai, Pune, and Solapur.

The IMD has confirmed that rainfall recorded in these districts from Sunday will be officially counted as monsoon rainfall, despite the usual onset date being June 1.

This is the earliest monsoon onset in Pune since May 29, 1962. The advancement was accompanied by heavy rainfall in parts of the Pune district, especially in the ghat regions, bringing waterlogging, tree-fall incidents, and power outages in several areas.

"The southwest monsoon has made its arrival in Pune. There are no records since 1962 about such an early arrival of monsoon in Pune district, hence this is a historical arrival for Pune," said SD Sanap, senior meteorologist, IMD, Pune.

Heavy downpour on Sunday battered several parts of Pimpri Chinchwad and Maval tehsil, with Lonavla recording an intense 234 mm of rainfall in 24 hours. Chinchwad received 20.5 mm of rainfall between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm on May 26.

The downpour led to waterlogging along service roads of the Pune-Mumbai highway, especially near Wakad and Balewadi. An underpass at Dattawadi was closed due to flooding. Rainfall in other areas ranged between 20 mm and 30 mm.