India, Aug. 22 -- When heavy rains lashed the city earlier this week, causing waterlogging in several areas, the BMC was prepared in advance, armed as it was with forecasts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in addition to those disseminated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). IIT-B and IMD have collaborated on a project that puts out localised weather forecasts, predicting rainfall and waterlogging in specific areas.

As western disturbances and a depression off the coast of Andhra Pradesh was expected to trigger an episode of heavy rainfall, Mumbai's weather bureau updated its forecast at 3.30am on August 18. However, the BMC had received alerts from IIT Bombay a day prior. "IIT-Bombay sent a localised foreca...