Mumbai Crumbles

Nature picks a new victim each time she decides to display her fury. After wiping lakhs of lives off the face of Earth during the Tsunami, wreaking havoc in Gujarat with the floods, it is now Mumbai that is reeling under the forces of Nature. It was downpour like India had never known. 94 cms. in 24 hours!!! Shocking figure. It has brought out the vulnerablilities of the city that is the commercial capital of the nation, and my favorite. The dreams of the city to emerge as another Shanghai, came crashing down, after it couldn't withstand a day of torrential rain.

Total collapse of communication infrastructure caused anxious moments not only for the city's residents, but for their loved ones all over the world. I was on the verge of panic, when Saahil called and informed that he was safe and sound! The ground floor of their hostel was inundated, but the top ones were out of reach of the water. It appears today all the water has receeded and Mumbai is on its way to normalcy.

This was one of those times that was fraught with examples of the noble as well as the flip side of people. There were the crooks who took advantage of the situation and openly harrassed girls; then there were those who handed out eatables to the stranded. All in all an unfortunate event, where the rest of the world could do nothing but pray. The rich usually pull themselves out of such circumstances; it is the poor who always bear the brunt. Hope Mumbaikars tide over this period soon. Begging dear Lord Hanuman to keep my Saahil, and also the others, in His merciful care always.