13 June,2014 06:45 AM IST | | Neha LM Tripathi & Kartikeya Jain
Areas near Marine Drive, Worli, Shivaji Park faced waterlogging following high tide and strong winds; Disaster Management Cell will deploy guards at sea-facing areas from today
Even with no sign of rain, many of the city's streets were flooded yesterday, due to high tide that brought seawater on some of Mumbai's prominent sea-facing roads like those near Marine Drive, Worli Sea Face, Shivaji Park and Bandstand.
PHOTOS: High tide causes water-logging in parts of Mumbai
The waste from the sea was thrown onto Marine Drive yesterday, as a high tide of 4.56 metres, combined with strong winds, meant the city saw scenes reminiscent of the monsoons, but on a bright sunny day! Pics/Emmanual Karbhari & Datta Kumbhar
While some citizens enjoyed the flooding because it brought relief from the heat, waterlogging on these roads began affecting traffic soon. An official from the disaster management cell said, "The situation resulted from a combination of the high tide and the cyclone that touched Mumbai's shore on the southwest."
The flooded Cadell Road in Shivaji Park
The people affected by the high tide also included MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who reportedly called BMC's Disaster Management officer, after water seeped on the road that leads to his house Krishna Kunj in Shivaji Park.
Sources close to Thackeray said that he personally spoke to the officer, while he was on a road visit in Dadar and Mahim area and spotted the road outside his house filled with water. While traffic snarls affected the movement of vehicles, the civic body claims that it was cleared within half an hour.
Mumbaikars flocked to Marine Drive during the high tide; the stretch of Marine Drive near Girgaum Chowpatty was also flooded
A traffic constable said, "The waterlogging led to traffic jam in Mahim, Dadar and Worli, but we cleared it within half an hour." Garbage on the streets had choked the water exits and had to be cleared by BMC workers before water could find its way back into the sea.
Speaking to mid-day, V K Rajeev, director of Indian Metrological Department said, "While monsoons are not expected to reach Mumbai till the end of the week, if it rains during high tide, it may create trouble." The predicted high tide of 4.60 meters for Friday is expected to be one of the highest in the upcoming monsoon season.
