Knee-deep water in several areas, power cuts in some parts; fire brigade officials prepare for a 24-hour shift; the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Monday issued a red alert warning people of extremely heavy rainfall.
People enjoy a ride on a foam sheet in near Evershine City in Vasai East. Pics/Sundarii Iyer
Water levels in many areas, including the Evershine City in Vasai East, Vasai West, and Nalasopara, reached depths of up to five feet, resulting in submerged roads and flooded localities as heavy rain lashed Palghar district. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Monday issued a red alert warning people of extremely heavy rainfall.
Schools were shut for the day, and many office goers were unable to wade through waters to catch a local train. Several areas also experienced power cuts for over 10 hours. While most preferred to stay indoors, the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) Fire Brigade personnel, police, and other emergency service officials were seen in full force to restore normalcy in the area at the earliest. While it was duty for some, there were others who had reason to venture into knee-deep waters.
Fire brigade personnel clear a pathway near Vasant Nagari circle
Jaya Vohra, 60, who works at Mahavir Classes in Vasai East, told mid-day, “It was not raining so heavily when I came to office in the morning, but now it has increased. I am thankful to the kids around who helped me find my way back home [in Vasant Nagari] around 3 pm, as visibility is low and it's unsafe to walk through knee-deep waters.”
Dinesh, 67, was forced to come out to buy food from a nearby hotel, as there was no electricity at his residence. “Today we are all fasting, and there was no electricity, so I came out to buy vrat ka khana (fasting food) from a hotel,” he said.
A milk vendor wades through knee deep water in Vasai
Meanwhile, Abhay Pandey, a resident of Evershine in Vasai East, said he was glad that schools were shut as the situation was untenable outside. “Waterlogging is normal in Evershine, but today it was a bit more than normal. The water was 4-5 feet deep around 11 am. It was only around 2 pm that the levels went down to around three feet.”
A fire brigade official, on condition of anonymity, said they have been on duty since morning and are prepared for a 24-hour shift as rain continues to disrupt the VVMC area. The team were seen clearing the area near Vasant Nagari, where an uprooted tree had blocked one side of the road in Vasai East.
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