Every year, the monsoon devastates some part of Bharat. But this year, the monsoon rains, particularly in August, have unleashed widespread destruction across the nation, with several states brought to their knees amid cloudbursts, flash floods, and relentless downpours.

As I write this piece from my workstation in Pune, amid incessant rainfall, I focus on the monsoon mayhem in Maharashtra, with particular emphasis on the maximum city, Mumbai.

The Latin phrase Urbs Prima in Indis, meaning “First City in India", has long described Mumbai’s status as a major urban and commercial hub. But the city’s frequent flooding during the monsoon paints a grim contrast. It is disheartening to note that Mumbai, a city that never sleeps, is once again brought to its knees by relentless rain.

Ironically, this situation has unfolded despite the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation earmarking Rs 15,048 crore—20 per cent of its Rs 74,400 crore annual budget for 2025–26—for combating urban flooding.

I humbly submit that each year, tens of thousands of crore rupees are flushed away in the name of flood management in Mumbai, while the spectre of urban flooding and the devastation it brings continues to worsen with alarming speed.

Before returning to the state of Mumbai, here is a brief overview of the havoc created by incessant rainfall across Maharashtra over the past few days (August 16–20).

Maharashtra is witnessing an unmitigated disaster due to the fury of the skies. According to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the recent spell of rain has already claimed at least 21 lives across the state. With nine more rain related deaths reported by the state disaster authority in past 24 hours, as on Thursday August 21, the number of deaths in Maharashtra have swelled to 30.

Also, kharif crops sown over 12–14 million hectares have been badly affected by just two days of rain, on Monday and Tuesday.

Mumbai has been under siege. Incessant rainfall over four consecutive days, from August 16 to 19, has battered and bruised the city, bringing it to a standstill and disrupting the lives of millions. The IMD issued an orange alert for Wednesday, signalling heavy rainfall. With a slight reduction in intensity, Mumbai is now slowly limping back to its feet.

According to BMC data, Tuesday, August 19 recorded abnormal rainfall, with most areas receiving over 300 mm. The worst-affected areas included:

Wednesday’s rain story is still unfolding. However, IMD data for the previous 24 hours shows:

In just four days, rainfall in Mumbai has........

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