The message had claimed that a situation similar to the 2005 Mumbai floods is imminent
Mumbai : The BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday sought police help to investigate and track down a WhatsApp message circulating over the past few days and warning of a major cyclonic storm likely to hit Mumbai.
“The message of a cyclone expected to hit Mumbai over the city has created panic among the people of the city… The message has even claimed that a situation similar to the Mumbai floods of July 26, 2005 could develop,” the BMC said in a statement.
Taking serious note of the development, the BMC’s Disaster Cell chief Sanjay Deshmukh has lodged a formal complaint with the Joint Police Commissioner (L&O) Deven Bharti and sought strict action against the miscreants responsible for the fake message that went viral.
The message, received on individual numbers and on WhatsApp groups earlier this week, grimly warned of heavy and very heavy rains lashing Mumbai, creating a situation like the 2005 Mumbai floods (in pic).
It even advised people to stock up on food stuffs, milk and candles to ward off possible shortages during the probable natural calamity.
The BMC pointed out that during last Friday’s heavy rains, Mumbaikars had to undergo immense hardships and such a message had created alarm in the minds of the people.
No heavy rainfall on Wednesday contrary to predictions Contrary to the Indian Meteorological Department’s predictions, Mumbai did not witness heavy rainfall on Wednesday. IMD had predicted on Tuesday that the city will experience heavy rainfall for another 24 hours, till Wednesday evening.
However, according to data published on the IMD website, Santacruz experienced 52.8 mm rainfall, an average amount by Mumbai’s standards. Further, Colaba experienced only 28 mm on Wednesday, which can be considered low, as per the city’s average past week.
