We're at the tail end of monsoon so the last of the rains is upon us and it's usually a burst of storms here and there. But the last 48 hours have seen such heavy rainfall that we received 11 inches in just nine hours. With the city sitting at sea level and high tide approaching, cyclone warnings were also given.
Lots of streets have flooded, some waist deep; flights were cancelled, trains suspended, and traffic gridlocked all over the city as roads were impassable. My school held buses to the south of the city and called back buses that had left for the suburbs. Nearly 150 students spent the night at school with teachers and staff also unable to get home. Check out #MumbaiRains on Twitter.
I was lucky in that it only took me three hours to get home, although much of that was sitting traffic on ankle to knee deep water clogged roads. I gave a lift to some colleagues that live nearby and we kept our spirits high marveling at how every day mumbaikars (people from Mumbai) stepped up to take care of one another.
Locals were helping to direct traffic while others were handing out water bottles and snacks. Many hotels and all of the Sikh temples opened their doors to those stranded.
Social media has been a life saver for many as people from different parts of Mumbai have been tweeting #RainHosts to offer shelter in their homes to those who've been stranded. Emergency numbers and updates have been circulated on Whatsapp and Facebook as well.
Lots of streets have flooded, some waist deep; flights were cancelled, trains suspended, and traffic gridlocked all over the city as roads were impassable. My school held buses to the south of the city and called back buses that had left for the suburbs. Nearly 150 students spent the night at school with teachers and staff also unable to get home. Check out #MumbaiRains on Twitter.
I was lucky in that it only took me three hours to get home, although much of that was sitting traffic on ankle to knee deep water clogged roads. I gave a lift to some colleagues that live nearby and we kept our spirits high marveling at how every day mumbaikars (people from Mumbai) stepped up to take care of one another.
Locals were helping to direct traffic while others were handing out water bottles and snacks. Many hotels and all of the Sikh temples opened their doors to those stranded.
Social media has been a life saver for many as people from different parts of Mumbai have been tweeting #RainHosts to offer shelter in their homes to those who've been stranded. Emergency numbers and updates have been circulated on Whatsapp and Facebook as well.
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| Stuck in traffic |
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| Making a snack run for vada pav (fried potato ball sandwich) |
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| Flood Feasting! (and yes, I'm driving!) |
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| Residents walking home as trains, buses, taxis, and rickshaws are stopped |
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| flooded streets |
