Orange Alert Issued as Monsoon Revives Over Mumbai and MMR The southwest monsoon regained strength over Mumbai and the adjoining metropolitan region starting last weekend, bringing moderate rainfall to several areas. However, South Mumbai remained relatively dry compared to the suburbs. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Tuesday, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places along with strong winds. According to IMD data, in the 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Monday, the Colaba observatory in South Mumbai recorded just 5.6mm of rainfall, while the Santacruz observatory in the suburbs received 88.4mm. Rainfall was even higher in neighboring districts, with Thane recording 115mm and Navi Mumbai averaging 92.10mm during the same period. The weather bureau forecasts intensified rainfall activity on Tuesday, with the orange alert in effect for Mumbai and Thane on July 22 and 23. Weather experts noted the city is experiencing the anticipated revival of the southwest monsoon after a brief lull last week. Abhijit Modak, an independent weather forecaster, stated that the gradual return of the monsoon has restored classic July conditions across the Konkan region. Frequent intermittent rainfall, persistent cloud cover, and cooler daytime temperatures have replaced the warm, dry weather of the previous week. Modak added that recurring showers are maintaining soil moisture and saturation, creating favorable conditions for agriculture while supporting steady inflows into rivers and reservoirs. The fresh rainfall has also slightly improved Mumbai’s water reserves. As of Monday, the seven lakes supplying drinking water to the city held 7.82 lakh million litres, or 54.05% of their total capacity. However, reservoir levels remain significantly lower than last year.#mumbai #india_meteorological_department #thane #south_mumbai #navi_mumbai
Huge blow! Harshit Rana ruled out of IPL 2026; KKR yet to decide replacement All-rounder Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to a knee injury sustained during a warm-up match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai ahead of the T20 World Cup. The 24-year-old underwent surgery on February 9 but will not be fit in time to participate in the league. Rana’s absence marks a significant setback for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who relied heavily on his contributions during their 2024 title-winning campaign. The left-handed bowler took 19 wickets in that season, becoming a key player for India across formats. His performance earned him a retention deal of Rs 4 crore for the 2025 season, where he claimed 15 wickets in 13 matches. KKR has yet to finalize a replacement for Rana, with players like Akash Deep, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, and Kartik Tyagi being considered for the role. A source close to the franchise noted that the team is giving these bowlers an opportunity to step up and fill the void left by Rana’s absence. However, there is still no clarity on the participation of Matheesha Pathirana, who also suffered an injury during the T20 World Cup and is currently recovering. In an effort to bolster their pace attack, KKR has signed Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani. The 6 ft 8 in pacer, known for his ability to generate steep bounce and take wickets in crucial moments, brings valuable experience to the squad. Muzarabani has taken over 90 wickets in more than 80 T20 Internationals at an average of around 21, with his best figures in the format being 3/8. He is set to join the KKR squad in Kolkata on March 17 to prepare for the 2026 season.#ipl_2026 #kolkata_knight_riders #harshit_rana #navi_mumbai #matheesha_pathirana
