Rains close highway and paralyze transport in Mumbai, India Heavy monsoon rains caused damage, flooding and the interruption of transport services in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, and in several parts of the western and central regions of the country on Sunday (5). At least six people, including a woman and five children, died after a group of properties collapsed in the Mankhurd area in the city's eastern suburbs. The amount of rain in Mumbai surpassed the 100 mm mark, with peaks of up to 161 mm in some regions. In addition to the collapse of multi-story houses in the community, the storms caused trees to fall on wiring and public roads. In one of the incidents, at around 10:30 in the morning, a large tree fell and crushed between 7 and 8 vehicles. Since the end of last month, falling trees had already left three other people dead in the city. The rains also caused landslides on the highway that connects Mumbai to the city of Pune, forcing the road to be completely closed. Television images recorded sheets of construction debris scattered across the asphalt and water gushing from the roof of a tunnel. A worker removes fallen trees after heavy rain in Mumbai, India. Francis Mascarenhas /Reuters Faced with the risk of new accidents, Indian authorities reported that they had installed audio systems in 225 villages mapped as areas prone to landslides. Monitoring officers were assigned to these locations to issue constant alerts to residents, assess the situation in real time and coordinate evacuations or emergency decisions. The region's transport infrastructure was severely affected: Flights suffered delays and disruptions at the airport; Long-distance travel, including lines connecting Mumbai and Pune, has been cancelled; Urban roads were flooded, and schools and colleges were closed this Monday (6). Climatic contrast and impact on the economy The period of severe storms in July comes shortly after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the country recorded its fifth driest June since historical records began in 1901. The delay and irregularity of the monsoon generates strong concern about agricultural production and the country's economic growth, valued at almost US$4 trillion. Monsoons are responsible for around 70% of India's annual rainfall and are essential for supplying water resources. Almost half of the country's cultivable land depends exclusively on these rains due to a lack of irrigation systems, and around half of the Indian population derives its livelihood directly from agriculture. A worker removes a fallen tree after heavy rain in Mumbai, India. Francis Mascarenhas / Reuters Despite the devastating volume recorded over the weekend in Mumbai, the official forecast by the director general of the IMD, Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, points out that the accumulated rainfall for the entire month of July in the country should be below 94% of the long-term historical average. For this Monday, the forecast indicates a reduction in the intensity of rain, projecting a period of "very light to light rain" in several parts of the national capital region. *With information from Reuters. GIF Flooding in India after heavy rains. Reuters