Mumbai: Chaos as authorities attempt last minute evacuation

Even as strong winds blew the fickle tin roofs of their shanties, no aid had reached the residents of Lakda bunder. (Representational Photo)

The last minute evacuation of families residing in shanties abutting the Eastern Water Front at Darukhana on Wednesday led to chaos, as authorities anticipated that the cyclone will hit Mumbai’s coastline.

Three Sewri police teams were deployed to evacuate 150 families staying in Powder bunder, Kolsa bunder and Darga lane. A few of the residents got into the single BEST bus that was pushed to ferry residents from Powder bunder to a school at Dockyard Road while others strapped their belongings on cycles and bikes as they were rushed out. Rohit Ashok Kirkere put his family along with his neighbours in a tempo, which he drives while working for a laundry service. “We have taken whatever valuables we owned and will park the tempo under the eastern freeway,” said Kirkere.

Even as strong winds blew the fickle tin roofs of their shanties, no aid had reached the residents of Lakda bunder. Aruna Yadav, a resident, alleged that they were assured that a bus is being sent to take them to a shelter but nothing was in sight even as the waves from the sea lashed their huts. A few families left their homes to move to nearby godowns.In the adjacent lanes that lay between Lakda bunder and Powder bunder, it was hunger that made several stand in long queues amid heavy rain. “We have been waiting since 12 pm here but the food truck his late,” said Shafeek Ahmed, who put his footwear to mark his place in the queue and took shelter under a shop nearby.