Mumbai Under Red Alert as Early Monsoon Triggers Flooding

Mumbai is under a red alert following the arrival of monsoon rains 16 days ahead of schedule. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of extremely heavy rainfall, prompting city authorities to advise residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. The early arrival marks the earliest monsoon advancement over Mumbai in nearly a quarter of a century. Across Maharashtra, this is the earliest arrival of the monsoon in 14 years. The monsoon is crucial for agriculture and, by extension, the livelihoods of millions of farmers and overall food security. But it also brings annual destruction in the form of landslides and floods.