3.1. Disaster Events in Mumbai

In 2005 there was a catastrophic disaster in Mumbai, one day 1000 almost 1000 millimetre of rainfall and it paralyzed the city, 60% of the city were indirectly or directly affected okay. Around 1,000 people were killed due to this flood just one day flood or 2 days flood.

In 2005, Mumbai experienced a major disaster when approximately 1000 millimeters of rain fell in just one day. This intense rainfall caused severe flooding, affecting about 60% of the city. The disaster resulted in the loss of around 1,000 lives. Understanding the impact of this event is critical because it highlights how rapidly a city can be overwhelmed by extreme weather, making it clear why disaster risk management is important.

Think of a sponge. When you pour too much water on it at once, it can't hold all the water and spills over. Similarly, Mumbai, with its infrastructure, could not handle such a sudden amount of rain, leading to catastrophic flooding.

This is Maharashtra, and this is Mumbai you can see Mumbai and then here is our study area Dharavi this is Mithi river coming for Vihar, Powai and this is Dharavi area and this is our study area, two study areas basically Kalaquila and Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Dharavi.

The geography of Mumbai, including areas like Dharavi and the Mithi River, is significant in understanding how disasters occur. The Mithi River was once surrounded by mangrove forests that acted as natural barriers against flooding. Urban development has changed the landscape, impacting how water flows and increasing vulnerability to disasters. Exploring this geography helps to underline the importance of preserving natural environments in urban planning.

Imagine a garden where the plants (mangroves) soak up all the rainwater. If you remove the plants and replace them with concrete (urban development), rainwater has nowhere to go, resulting in flooding. This situation illustrates how modifying the natural environment can lead to increased flood risk.

So you can see here more clearly that is encroached land on the settlement on Mithi riverbank it was earlier a mangrove forest. These are some of the glimpses of 100 square meter area total population is within this small place 25,000.

Many people live in densely populated areas like Dharavi, where land that once included mangrove forests is now heavily encroached. This high density can complicate disaster management efforts since many people are affected in small areas. Recognizing the population's needs and involving them in planning and decision-making for disaster preparedness is crucial for effective risk management.

Consider a small room filled with too much furniture. If a fire breaks out, everyone in the room will struggle to escape quickly. In the same way, when a large number of people are crammed into a small urban area with limited escape routes or resources during a disaster, it becomes extremely dangerous.

We had a project there, one integrated disaster risk management for megacity Mumbai by Kyoto University, along with in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of here in Mumbai and school of planning and architecture and other many Institutes like JJ College of Architecture, Tata Institute of Social Science. They were involved in this project for integrated disaster risk management megacity Mumbai.

The government, in collaboration with various educational institutions, initiated a project focused on integrated disaster risk management in Mumbai. This approach combines efforts from different sectors to create more effective disaster responses. By collaborating with community organizations, local authorities, and universities, they aim to understand the area's specific needs better and develop comprehensive plans that take into account the unique challenges of each area.

Imagine a sports team where coaches, players, and trainers work together. If they communicate and collaborate effectively, they can develop winning strategies. Similarly, in disaster management, collaboration between government, experts, and local communities enhances the efficiency of response strategies and could save lives.

We set up a small office in a ward G-North ward, MCGM, a research hub from there imagine this is a timeline, we started to say used to go to Dharavi and say people hey hello how are you, and then we started to build kind of rapport with the people.

Establishing trust and rapport with community members is essential for effective disaster risk governance. By simply engaging with the community, researchers could learn about their challenges and needs. Building these relationships can lead to greater community involvement in disaster preparedness initiatives, making the efforts more likely to succeed.

Think about the importance of a good neighbor. When you know your neighbor well, you're more likely to help each other during difficult times. In disaster management, knowing the community and their needs can promote collaboration and strengthen collective resilience.

They said that yes we need some help if you can do to manage better the flood we are facing every year. So we developed risk mapping and then over the period of time we developed an action plan with them.

After engaging with the community and understanding their concerns about annual flooding, they collaboratively developed a risk mapping and an action plan. This community-led approach is vital because people living in the area know firsthand the specific risks they face and how best to respond. Together, they created strategies that consider the unique challenges of their environment, improving readiness and resilience.

It's like a group of friends planning a camping trip. If each friend shares their experiences and suggestions, they can plan better for rain, food, and safety. By working together, they can ensure everyone has a great and safe time, just like communities can create safety plans to prepare for disasters.

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