Monsoon Challenges and Preparedness

June 12, 2019

What a relationship the Monsoon brings to us in Mumbai!

All summer, we talk about when the rains will come and pray that they come soon. Yet when they do, within a few days of getting cooled down, we start to get annoyed with the challenges that come with it!

On the one hand, we pray for plentiful rains so that the lakes are to overflow, as that’s the water we drink! On the other hand, are the Monsoon Challenges!!

Challenge number 1 – flooding of certain low-lying areas and rail tracks

Challenge number 2 – power failure, and short circuits most often leading to fire

Challenge number 3 – collapse of dilapidated buildings

Challenge number 4 – ailments that come with the rains

The issue of flooding of certain low-lying areas, despite the efforts of the MCGM, are a certainty each monsoon. It is not always the amount of rain that causes the flooding, but if it happens during a High Tide. The rainwater cannot get discharged into the sea, as water from the sea itself flows into the storm-water drains, blocking the rainwater from draining out.

Just as we do every year, we are putting up the selected list of very High Tides for the Monsoon months, i.e. June to September, compiled by MCGM from the Tide Table Book 2019. Any High Tide over 4.5 metres can cause flooding if accompanied by even moderate rainfall. We recommend Mumbaikars to take note of these dates or download and carry the chart with you. Click here to download the pdf version of the High Tide Date Chart

A point to remember though, the period of caution is actually 2 hours before and after the time mentioned in the chart.

With all the challenges that we citizens have to deal with, it is most encouraging to know that each of the 24 Municipal Ward Offices are fully functional with their respective Disaster Management Control Rooms.

For your ready use, we are also putting up the list of Telephone Numbers of the Ward-wise Disaster Management Control Rooms.Click here to view and download a PDF version of the Telephone Numbers of Ward-wise Disaster Management Control Rooms. Keep it handy!

For the latest weather updates, traffic diversions and movements and safety updates please download the updated MCGM Disaster Management app available both on Android and iOS.

You can also access the MCGM’s special website http://dm.mcgm.gov.in/home where all details are available.

We hope that this information will be helpful to you and please feel free to share this page with your family and friends. Have a safe and happy Monsoon!

The Author, Indrani Malkani, is the Chairman of V Citizens Action Network (VCAN) and is an Ashoka Fellow

Tags: Personal Safety

All our articles are periodically updated.