Mumbai: July 26, 2005 – When the ever-moving city battled hard amid flood fury

Water-logging is a common problem in the financial capital of India – Mumbai, but seventeen years ago on this day (26/7/2005), the 'city of dreams' was struck by heavy rainfall which left scores of citizens across the city stranded. The city usually receives 2000 mm of rain during the season, but on July 26, 2005, Mumbai was tremendously flooded as it received around 45% of the yearly quota on a single day. On that day, lakhs of people were stuck far away from their homes, many walked kilometres with the hope to find a mode of transport to help them reach their destination and some took shelter at railway platforms. 

Mumbai Floods

The floods were brought on by the eighth-heaviest 24-hour rainfall total ever recorded, 944 mm (37.17 inches), flooding the financial city on July 26, 2005, and sporadically persisted into the next day. Numerous lives were lost; homes were completely destroyed. 37,000 auto rickshaws, 4,000 taxis, and 900 BEST buses were damaged by the floods, while 10,000 trucks and tempos were put off the road. Due to water-logging on the rails, even the local trains, Mumbai's lifeline, were forced to stop. In low-lying regions of the city, waterlogging resulted in excessive traffic on the roads.

The Mumbai residents, however, not only assisted their fellow citizens but also saved stray animals. They did not let the floods break their spirit.

The overflow of the sewage system was caused by the floods. Every single water pipe was polluted. The government mandated that all housing societies add chlorine to their water tanks to purify the water supply. Additionally, tens of thousands of animal corpses drifted in the floodwaters, sparking worries about the potential for a pandemic outbreak.

Fortunately, Mumbai has not seen the disaster of 2005 in over 17 years. Annually, there are heavy downpours, but officials are better prepared. In 2022, the first week of July was marked by strong rainfall. Even though some sections were flooded, Mumbai and its citizens showed that the city never stops.