Amid coronavirus outbreak, Mumbai, which is struggling to contain the pandemic, is bracing for Cyclone Nisarga — first such storm to threaten the city in more than 70 years. Mumbai and its neighbouring areas are on the edge as Cyclone Nisarga comes barrelling towards the coast with a wind speed of up to 120 kmph. As a precautionary measure, thousands of people in its path have been evacuated and moved to safer areas, trains have been rescheduled, flights cancelled, fishermen are banned from going out on the sea and rescue workers are on standby.
Mumbaikars are lucky in a way as cyclones very rarely pay a visit to the city. While the Maximum City isn’t new to heavy rains or floods, but a cyclone-like situation is novel. But this is not the first time Mumbai has been hit by a natural calamity.
When 1948 November storm left 38 dead and 47 missing in Bombay
While digging through our archives we found in November 1948, Mumbai (then Bombay) was brought to a standstill due to a storm, which claimed 38 lives. Torrential rains ended up taking many lives, there was no electricity for almost 37 hours and 47 people were missing in the aftermath of the storm.
July 12, 2000 – Landslide caused by heavy rains kills 67 people in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area
On July 12, 2000, 67 people were killed when a landslide occurred in Ghatkopar, Mumbai due to heavy rains. The landslide, caused due to continuous rainfall leading to soil erosion, occurred in a slum area destroying over 100 huts in Chiragnagar-Azadnagar locality. Among the dead, 27 were men, 15 women and 15 children. It was one of the worst monsoon disasters the city had witnessed.
Great Bombay Cyclone of 1882 – A hoax
While there are several reports which claim they had witnessed a cyclone over a century ago (in 1882), scientist Adama Sobel has shown that it is nothing but an urban legend. The cyclone, which struck Bombay on June 6, 1882, had reportedly claimed 100,000 lives was a hoax.
The mention of the storm in the 2008 edition of the Encyclopedia of Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Cyclones reads: The Great Bombay Cyclone of June 6, 1882: One of few truly great Indian cyclones to have formed over the Arabian Sea, the Great Bombay Cyclone--engorged with 110-MPH (177-km/h) winds and an 18-foot (6-m) surge--reportedly claimed more than 100,000 lives when it came ashore at Bombay right before daybreak.
But, historical research shows no proof of a storm of this magnitude. In fact, researchers says if there was indeed a storm of this level Mumbai would have lost one-eight of its population. Though there are reports of a storm dated June 4, 1882, but this one doesn't match the 'description' of the June 6 storm.
Though, according to Wikipedia, Bombay's biggest cyclonic event had occurred in 'in 1854, when "property valued at half-a-million pounds sterling" was destroyed in four hours and a thousand people were killed'.
