Disaster management – A case

study on 26 July 05 Mumbai

Flood
Presentation by-
Madhura S. Deshpande
(1427002)
 What is Flood?
• Flood is a state of high water level along a river channel or on
the coast that leads to inundation of land, which is not usually
submerged.
• Excessive rain, rupture of dam or levee, rapid ice melting in
the mountains can overwhelm a river and send it spreading
over the adjacent land called flood plain.
• Costal flooding occurs when a large storm or tsunami causes
the sea to surge inland.
• Moving water has tremendous destructive power.
• Floods are caused not only by rain but also by human changes
to the surface of the earth.
 Causes of flood
Some of the major causes are:
• Heavy rainfall
• Heavy siltation of the river bed reduces the water carrying
capacity of the rivers/stream.
• Blockage in the drains lead to flooding of the area.
• Landslides blocking the flow of the stream.
• Construction of dams and reservoirs
 Types of floods
 Flash floods -are local floods of great volume and short
duration.
• A flash flood generally results from a torrential rain or
“cloudburst” on relatively small and widely-dispersed streams.
 Riverine floods -are caused by precipitation over large areas
or by melting of the winter’s accumulation of snow, or by
both.
 Storm surge or tidal surge is an offshore rise of water
associated with a low pressure weather system, typically a
tropical cyclone.
• Storm surge is caused primarily by high winds pushing on the
ocean's surface
 Introduction to case study
• The 2005 Maharashtra floods refers to the flooding of many
parts of the Maharashtra including large areas of the
metropolis Mumbai a city located on the coast of the Arabian
Sea.
• The average rain fall of Mumbai is 242.42mm.
• The floods were caused by the heaviest ever recorded 24-
hour rainfall figure of 994 mm.
• The previous record high rainfall in a 4-hour period for
Mumbai was 575 mm. in 1974.
Land use changes in Mumbai
 Drainage System
 Sewage
• Underground Gravity System
• Collection, Conveyance, Treatment, Pumping discharging to
Sea/Creek

 Storm Water
• More than 150 years old in city area designed for rainfall of 25
mm per hour and run-off coefficient of 0.5
• Underground/open low gravity system
• Collection, Conveyance and disposal to Sea/Creek
 FACTORS AGGRAVATED THE DISASTER
IN MUMBAI
1. Antique drainage system
• The present storm-water drainage system in Mumbai was put
in place in the early 20th century.
• It is capable of carrying only 25 millimeters of water per hour.
• The drainage system is also clogged at several places.
• Only 3 'outfalls' (ways out to the sea) are equipped with
floodgates whereas the remaining 102 open directly into the
sea.
• A project costing approximately Rs. 600 crore was proposed by
UK based consultants hired by the BMC to study the matter.
• The project was planned to have completed by 2002 and aimed
to enhance the drainage system through larger diameter storm
water drains and pipes, using pumps wherever necessary and
removing encroachments.
• The project, if implemented would have doubled the storm
water carrying capacity to 50 mm per hour.
• The BMC committee rejected the proposed project on the
grounds that it was "too costly.
2. Uncontrolled, unplanned development in Northern Suburbs
• Development in northern suburbs of Mumbai is haphazard
and buildings are constructed without proper planning.
• The drainage plans in northern suburbs is chalked out as and
when required in a particular area and not from an overall
point of view.
3. Destruction of mangrove ecosystems
• Mangrove ecosystems which exist along the Mithi River and
Mahim Creek are being destroyed and replaced with
construction.
• Hundreds of acres of swamps in Mahim creek have been
reclaimed and put to use for construction by builders.
• These ecosystems serve as a buffer between land and sea. It
is estimated that Mumbai has lost about 40% of its mangroves
between 1995 and 2005, some to builders and some to
encroachment (slums).
• Sewage and garbage dumps have also destroyed mangroves.
• The Bandra-Kurla complex in particular was created by
replacing such swamps.
 Casualty and Damage : 26/07/2005
 Loss of life
Floods
• At least 500 people lost their lives in the flashfloods and the
landslides.
• 24 deaths caused by a stampede which occurred due to a
false tsunami rumor at a slum in Vile Parle.
• Residents of low lying coastal areas, who had faced the floods
just 48 hours back, panicked and rushed towards higher
ground.
• 16 deaths due to trapped vehicles from suffocation in cars
after water levels rose rapidly, preventing escape.
• 12 deaths due to Electrocution, 5 due to Wall collapse, 25
most deaths were due to water borne diseases.
 Damaged Buildings
• Residential establishments - partly damaged: 50,000
• Residential establishments - fully damaged: 2,000
• Commercial establishments: 40,000
 Impact on Roads
• Submergence of roads and traffic jams
• Most arterial roads and highways in the
• Suburbs severely affected due to water logging
• 52 local trains damaged, 37,000 auto rickshaws spoilt, 4,000
taxis, 900 BEST buses damaged and 10,000 trucks and tempos
grounded.
 Medical Care and Hospitals
• 437 Primary Health Centers, rural hospitals, and residential
premises for health personnel were damaged by flooding
 Education and Schools
• More than 20,000 classrooms damaged and
• 97 school buildings collapsed
 Communications and Information
• Telephone exchanges came under water the
• Phones stopped working
• Amateur Ham Radio Operators helped established radio
contacts during the emergencies
 Financial Effects
• The financial cost of floods was unmatched and these floods
caused a stoppage of entire commercial, trading, and
industrial activity for days.
• ATM Network of several banks stopped functioning.
• The Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange
of India, the premier stock exchanges of India could function
only partially.
• Total Loss in flood up to Rs. 550 Crores
 Effects on Mumbai’s flood to the rest
of the world
•Over 700 flights were cancelled or delayed.
•Rail links were disrupted, and cancellation of several long
distance trains up to 6th August, 2005.
•Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which witnessed a number of
landslides, was closed, for the first time ever, for 24 hours.
•According to Hindustan Times, an unprecedented 5 million
mobile and 2.3 million MTNL landline users were hit for over
four hours.
 Rescue and Relief Measures
• The Government machinery along with the local offices and
Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM)
immediately got into action for the desired relief and rescue.
• The Fire Brigade and the "Rescue Teams" of MCGM undertook
282 major and minor rescue operations.
• The Municipal machinery tries to evacuation of people
through boats and buses.
• Evacuated people were sheltered in public buildings including
schools
• Free food grains were provided by the Government of
Maharashtra [GOM] and MCGM as well as voluntary NGOs
and individuals.
• 3,700 stranded people including rescuing school children as
well as rescuing people from 140 marooned BEST buses.
• Food packets and drinking water was arranged for the
stranded people with the help of NGOs and Social
Organizations.
• Over 25,000 people were provided relief at 15 locations
across the city.
• Affected people were shifted to nearby Municipal schools,
local buildings and halls on 27 July. 12000 food packets were
distributed in City.
 Mitigation Measures
 Infrastructure improvement
• Transportation infrastructure
• Service & related infrastructure
• Housing infrastructure
 Communication & public information
• Upgrading wireless communication
• Setting up display boards
• Using cable TV for information dissemination
 Land use policies & planning
• Improvement & protection of landfill sites
• Control on land reclamation
• Shifting of storage and hazardous units from residential
areas.
 Recovery
• Common man on the roads to help
• Government providing all the necessary support
• Power supply, Rail transport, Airports started normal
operations on the very next day
• Life back to normal within 24 hrs
• Business as usual in the financial capital of India
• Financial Markets back on the track
 Assessment By Government
• The Government decided to provide assistance to the
shopkeepers and stall owners after making an assessment of
their damages.
• Also coordinated with insurance and banking sector to
provide immediate relief to the shopkeepers, traders and
entrepreneurs.
• The Gov. started distributing assistance for partially and fully
damaged houses as per the standing orders.
• Coordination is done with the NGOs for effective channeling
of relief and rehabilitation.
• It undertook to distribute 20 kilogram of food grains and 10
liters of kerosene oil to all the flood-affected families free of
cost.
• Government of Maharashtra seek sustainable solutions in
terms of restoration of natural drainage.
• It also would like to replace the century-old drainage system
of the city of Mumbai.
• They receives adequate Central Assistance for undertaking
these mitigation measures so that such a flood does not affect
the city of Mumbai again.
 Guidelines for immediate action

• Hydrological monitoring
• Sensing by radars
• Topographical contours
• Evacuation routes & facilities
• Upgraded railway culverts
• Electric supply
• Disaster management plan
• Urban planning
• Electronic media
• Interactive lead role of the MCGM
 Long term strategies
• Improved transportation system
• Pumping facilities
• International example
• Global warming
• Land for middle income and low income housing
• Urban planning and management
• Emergency preparedness
• Financial support
 References
• “URBAN FLOODING – A CASE STUDY OF MUMBAI”, H J SHIVA
PRASAD
• CORFU, “Case study: Mumbai By Prof Kapil Gupta”, Indian
Institute of Technology Bombay
• “Fact Finding Committee on Mumbai flood” – Final report,
Volume 1 , march 2006.
THANK YOU