Mumbai is facing a severe heatwave crisis as soaring temperatures and prolonged nighttime power cuts make life increasingly difficult for residents. With homes turning into unbearable heat traps, hundreds of people from nearby informal settlements have begun spending their nights on Versova Beach, seeking relief from the cooler sea breeze.
Families carry bedding to the shoreline after sunset and return home at dawn, transforming the beach into a temporary open-air shelter. The situation has become particularly alarming in parts of Navi Mumbai, including Ulwe and Kamothe, where extended electricity outages have triggered public frustration and protests.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), high humidity levels combined with extreme temperatures have created dangerous heat conditions and unusually warm nights. The ongoing crisis highlights the growing impact of extreme weather and infrastructure challenges, raising concerns about public health, energy reliability, and climate resilience in one of India’s largest cities.