Massive landslides in Mumbai due to unprecedented rainfall - 99 dead, 48,000 evacuated – drainage infrastructure collapsed
Balaji Reddy
Jul. 27, 2005

Mumbai drainage system collapsed as unprecedented rainfall hit the region. Water logging, flash floods and continued rains caused massive landslides. The authorities are fighting the situation but already 99 people are dead and more than 1000 injured. Close top 48,000 have been evacuated. The biggest problem came from landslides and probable more landslides, which can affect millions in the region.

Common people in Mumbai blamed the Government because of the lack of drainage facilities and related infrastructure. The drainage systems have been neglected for decades in Mumbai with a hope that such flash flooding of mega proportion will never happen.

According to media reports, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Wednesday said his government was doing its best to tackle the situation following “unprecedented” rains in Mumbai and surrounding areas, which have so far left 99 dead and thousands homeless.

“In the last 24 hrs, these areas received 995 mm of rain, out of which 876 mm fell in 12 hrs -- from 1430 hrs to 0230 hrs yesterday,” he told a press conference here, adding that it was a “rarest of the rare” case, exceeding the maximum rainfall figure of the last 100 years.

The earlier high was 370 mm, Deshmukh said. The Chief Minister asserted that the emergency mechanism had not failed, and the government was making all efforts. However, he said that relief efforts were being hampered by the continuing rain and winds, even as the met office forecast more turbulent weather ahead.

Deshmukh said that the current toll was estimated at 99, amid fears that it could further rise. Raigarh accounted for 45, while Mumbai had 22, Navi Mumbai - 16, Thane - eight, Ratnagiri - six and Beed - two.

Landslides had been reported from several places, including Jui village in Raigadh district, where 150 were trapped last evening and are mostly feared dead and de Souza Nagar in Sakinaka this morning, where 40 to 50 people were trapped and 22 dead bodies had been recovered.

12 deaths in Navi Mumbai and seven in thane were caused by landslides, while one person was killed in Bhiwandi when a wall collapsed.

Authorities had evacuated almost 50,000 people, including 10,000 from Mumbai, 6,000 from Navi Mumbai, 15,000 from thane, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan and Bhiwandi, 12,000 from Nanded and 5,000 from Raigadh and Ratnagiri, he said.

Observing that the task seemed “beyond human efforts,” Deshmukh said the government was, however, trying its hardest.

He said the drainage capacity of Mumbai was 25 mm in one hour, while the total rainfall was much more. Furthermore, the high tide was bringing back all the water draining into the sea.

As many as 50 to 60 villages had been cut-off in the districts of Nanded, Thane, Parbani and Raigadh and the government was making all efforts to establish contact with them, the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, students had been stranded in their schools while office-goers were likewise trapped in their respective offices, he said, adding that the three boats had been air-dropped into the Kalina area of the capital for rescue measures.

Deshmukh said he could not make an aerial survey of the affected areas, as the weather was not suitable, adding that iaf helicopters were not being able to operate for the same reason.

The government has also deployed 5000 armed forces personnel and jawans of the state reserve police for relief and rescue measures, he said.

The power supply has been restored to 70 to 80 per cent, the Chief Minister said, but cautioned that dangers of short-circuit existed as the transformers had been affected.

Meanwhile, efforts had been made to restart the rail network, he noted but said all incoming trains on the central railway network would be stopped at Nashik, Manmad or Kasara railway stations and the passengers conveyed onwards by buses.

Since priority was being given to vehicles conveying essential supplies to the city, Deshmukh requested all other vehicles not to enter Mumbai. He also appealed to the residents not to venture out of their homes.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister estimated the total damage at Rs 500 crore and said the amount was certain to increase.

He said a public holiday had been declared tomorrow under the negotiable instruments act in the affected areas of Mumbai, Thane and Raigadh.

Meanwhile, the Vishnupuri Dam in Nanded district was flowing well above its danger mark, Deshmukh said

Authorities in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh had been contacted and had agreed for release of 40 tmc water as well as to open the gates of the Pochampad dam to drain off the surplus water, he added.

The Dudna River in Parbhani was also overflowing, the Chief Minister said, adding the authorities were keeping a watch on the situation.

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