During the first week here we had a bad episode of monsoon, but since then it hasn't been too bad and I was lulled into forgetting that it is monsoon season. Since Friday it has been raining pretty much nonstop. and it rains hard. The roads are flooding and it is not pleasant to be out and about.
when I got to school, a friend and I were talking about how overwhelmed we were with everything we have to do this week. Then comes a blessing in disguise - we get released at 10:30 am due to possible flooding. I don't really understand tide stuff since I grew up in landlocked areas, but apparently the tide was supposed to rise the water level 15 feet - I don't know. Mumbai is at sea level so there is nowhere for the water to go. Water runs from the street into drainage holes pretty decently but I guess the tide was going to raise those levels and push water out. Apparently in 2005 they had horrible flooding - the water came up from the drainage system and blew manholes out into the street and sucked people it. Does not sound pleasant. anyway better safe than sorry.
I was amazed at how quickly the parents got the message to come get their kids (or send their drivers) and the kids all left on time. Teachers were home by noon. The rain actually stopped for about 2 hours so I went for a walk and went by the sea. It was by far the highest I had ever seen it!!!! Usually there are a lot of rocks out to the water but there were no rocks visible today - the water was already up to the promenade - kind of like Galveston's sea wall. The tile was wet and dirty in spots so you could tell the water had come all the way up.
As tiring as the rain is right now, I know we will have months and months with no rain and the sun beating down on us and I will be wishing for some rain :) This is the only rain India gets all year so I need to embrace this part of mumbai like any other part!!
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