When Vasai turned into waterworld

The 700 mm of rainfall that lashed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in the last four to five days has turned Vasai into an extension of the Arabian Sea.

The Naigaum, Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar urban conglomerations are sandwiched between the Arabain Sea on the one side and the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and the mountain ranges on the other.

These towns lie in Palghar district, some 50 km from Mumbai.

Curious locals, from children to senior citizens, came out of their homes to witness what they had never seen before, waist-deep water, as water gushed into several flats, even the first floor, and two wheelers and four wheelers were fully or partially submerged.

"I have been staying in Vasai tehsil for the last two decades but never saw such a situation. Water used to accumulate but used to go out. The situation has been stagnant for the last two days. Even during the deluge of July 26, 2005, we have not seen this," said Subrata Das, an entrepreneur who loves adventure. Das was wading through the waters on his orange raft.

"It was like Venice in Vasai," said Ruma, a resident of Evershine City. Virar resident Kiran Bhoir, who is a tourism expert, said it was like living on the edge.

The Palghar Police and the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation personnel are out on the flooded streets to help people. The MSEDCL had to cut off the power supply. "The main substation is flooded," said Chinmay Gavankar of Team Vasai First, a collective of NGOs.

People have been advised to charge power banks through their invertors.
In the Vasai-Virar belt, most of the shops and establishments are closed.
At Nalasopara, tracks are flooded and between Vasai and Virar, there are no train services right now. Most of the schools and colleges are shut.