Cyclone Ockhi: Mumbai receives highest December rainfall since 1967

As Mumbai braced for Cyclone Ockhi on Tuesday, the city received highest-ever December rainfall, breaking a record of 50 years. In 24 hours from 8:30 am on Tuesday, Colaba observatory in the city witnessed a whopping 82 mm of rainfall while Santa Cruz recorded massive 54 mm of rainfall. 

According to Skymet Weather, the monthly rains in Mumbai for the month of December stands at 5.3 mm and the highest monthly record stood at 55.7 mm which took place in the year 1967.

The heavy rainfall in the city was caused due to Cyclone Ockhi which had developed in the Bay of Bengal but moved towards Arabian Sea. The system had intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm.

The cyclone passed the Mumbai coast and just brought rains and there was no loss of life or damage to property. The cyclone on Tuesday night was headed towards Gujarat but gradually dissipated over the Arabian Sea before hitting the coast.

As many as 39 people have perished and 167 fishermen were still missing after cyclone hit Tamil Nadu and Kerala coasts while 809 others were swept away to Maharashtra, the Union Home Ministry said on Tuesday.