Mumbai: For the residents of Kurla’s Kranti Nagar, Tuesday morning turned into a nightmare as floodwaters surged into their homes, forcing families to abandon everything and escape with just their lives.
Triggered by two consecutive days of torrential downpour, with over 200 mm of rainfall, the Mithi River swelled to 3.9 metres — dangerously close to its 4.2-metre danger mark. By dawn, water had begun creeping into houses, and within hours, it had risen to waist level.
“By 7 am, the water entered our house, and within two hours it was waist-high. We just ran out when the BMC started making announcements. Usually, the water recedes in a couple of hours, but this time it was terrible,” said Ashish Gautam (22), a resident of Kranti Nagar.
As floodwaters continued to rise, a nearby drain also overflowed, leaving the low-lying airport-adjacent settlement completely inundated. In response, the BMC and Mumbai Police launched a swift evacuation, moving over 350 people to safety at Magandas Nathuram School.
For many, the escape was frantic and desperate. Nanda Parmar, whose family of 12 barely made it out in time, recalled, “Humne ghar ka darwaza takk band nahi kiya, bass jaan bachakar bhaage. (We didn’t even shut our doors — we just ran to save our lives).”
When residents returned later, they found their homes devastated — furniture destroyed, food stocks ruined, and belongings washed away. The scars of the flood, they said, would linger long after the waters receded.