HindustanTimes 12.11.2009
State, BMC play it safe
The state and civic authorities, having learnt their lessons post-26/7, wanted to play it safe on Wednesday.
The civic body mobilised its disaster management system within hours of the meteorology department sending a cyclone alert.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began evacuating people from low-lying and coastal areas and made arrangements for them in nearby schools.
Areas in Worli Koliwada, Kurla, Carter Road, Khar Danda and Nariman Baug were identified as vulnerable spots.
The government got six navy teams dispatched to low lying areas of Mumbai and ordered evacuation in Colaba, Worli, Geeta Nagar, Versova, Mahim and Juhu where slums are located along the coast.
Six rescue teams of trained civic employees — equipped with life jackets and boats — were posted outside vulnerable and the low-lying areas.
The civic body was also coordinating the bus and railway services.
Officials were also prepared to close down the Bandra Worli Sea Link if the wind velocity crossed 60 kmph. That, however, did not happen.
The state government issued a statewide cyclone alert especially for coastal areas. Following the predictions from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), of the cyclone affecting areas of Mumbai after 5 pm and touching north of Maharashtra between 10 pm to 12 pm the state government dispatched disaster teams to evacuate seven villages in Palghar and five in Dahanu.
But the process was discontinued in the evening after the alert was withdrawn.
It also sent helicopters to Konkan to locate five missing boats carrying 16 fishermen.
