Parsi Times

When It Rains, It Pours!

 

Dear Readers,

 

Our maximum city seems to be setting new maximum records in this month of July! While Mumbai recorded its wettest July ever, with 1557.8 mm rainfall, on a global level, July 2023 is set to upend previous heat benchmarks, and is on track to be the world’s hottest month on record, as stated by UN Secretary-General – António Guterres, earlier this week.

But this much remains – when it rains in Mumbai, it surely pours… quite literally! All through this week, the only colour ruling Mumbai’s skies has been grey, in sharp contrast with the IMD, which has been attributing various coloured-alerts due to the incessant downpours, prompting the weather office to upgrade the ‘yellow’ and ‘orange’ alerts, to ‘red’.

While monsoons surely provide the much-needed relief from the sizzling summer heat, that lovely waft of petrichor turns fetid in less than a day, because of the perils accompanying the torrential rains. We need to adhere to a few simple and sensible safety habits and measures to avoid falling victims to disease or disaster.

For eg., don’t step out without your necessary rain-gear and ensure you’ve turned off your gas connections and all electronic equipment in the house; wear shoes with non-slip or rubber soles to avoid injury; stay away from any low-lying areas as these could be hiding uncovered man-holes or gutters; watch your diet – this season marks the maximum increase in gastro issues; stay away from electric poles, fallen power lines, and any water-lining area around it – if you notice any, alert the municipality right away as also others to stay away; stock-up on food, medicines and other essentials – just in case; and last but not the least, keep a list of emergency numbers handy – like hospitals, ambulance services, your nearest police station, etc. and check regularly on the wellbeing of the elderly who live by themselves.

Equipped with these basic safety measures and necessary cautions, and in keeping with the quintessential spirit of Mumbai, help each other and those in need… and have a safe and fun rainy season!

 

– Anahita