Mumbai News

2021: A tough year for Mumbai with ray of hope – Times of India

Cyclone Tauktae
Cyclone Tauktae battered the city, uprooting hundreds of trees, causing major waterlogging and disrupting road, rail and air traffic on May 17, 2021. Many parts of the city suffered power cuts for several hours. The IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded the highest 24-hour rainfall (230.3mm) for the month of May since 1974, which is when the IMD started keeping record. Record wind speed – at 114 kmph – was recorded in the city by the BMC’s weather station at Colaba. Waterlogging was the worst in south Mumbai, particularly along the coastal road construction sites, followed by slums and construction areas in the suburbs. Due to the strong wind and high tide, sea waves too came crashing onto the streets at the Gateway of India, Marine Drive and Apollo Bunder.
Barge P-305 sinks
ONGC’s Barge P-305 sank off the coast of Mumbai after Cyclone Tauktae hit the Arabian Sea. The barge had broken loose of its anchors and hit an oil platform in the rough seas, leading to the mishap. While there were fatalities, more than 180 survivors were heli-lifted from the capsizing vessel, which housed personnel engaged in maintenance work for an offshore oil drilling platform. The sunken vessel was eventually located on the seabed. Another two barges had gone adrift after breaking loose from their anchors, but all on board were rescued safely. All three barges affected by the cyclone belonged to Shapoorji Pallonji group company Afcon and had onboard people hired by the company.

Monsoon mayhem
Just two months after Cyclone Tauktae, the monsoon season was upon the city. Heavy rainfall led to waterlogging and landslides across the city. On July 18, due to heavy overnight rainfall, five to six houses collapsed in Panchsheel Chawl in Surya Nagar, Vikhroli. A similar incident of landslide had also taken place at Mahul the same day. The city had reported heavy rainfall, with maximum intensity between 12am and 3am. According to the BMC, the island city recorded 156mm of rain between 8pm on July 17 and 2am on July 18, while eastern suburbs recorded 143mm and western suburbs 125mm.

New normal at movie theatres
More than 18 months after movie theatres went dark here in Bollywood’s hometown, they finally opened again on October 22, 2021. For many, this meant a return to the simple joy of watching a movie and forgetting their cares, even if for just a couple of hours. Movie halls were one of the last public places to reopen, and they initially struggled to draw audiences. Eventually, though, many citizens were glad to return to the theatres to catch the latest blockbusters, even if it was a new normal – spaced out seating, masks compulsory and no food or beverages allowed inside.

Schools fill with laughter again
After the silence of more than 20 months, classrooms in the city finally came alive as children returned to school on December 15, 2021. For many, this was the first time they were stepping out of their homes or residential societies since schools were shut in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Schools reopened for Stds 1 to 7, and amid the growing threat of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, they have been asked to follow all Covid-19 protocol such as wearing masks, santisation, social distancing. Vaccination was prioritized for teachers and non-teaching staff

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/2021-a-tough-year-for-mumbai-with-ray-of-hope/articleshow/88643858.cms