Overview

• Retired Fire Brigade chief Prabhat Rahangdale recalls leading improvised kayak and jet ski operations that saved around 300 people during the July 26, 2005 deluge.
• An unprecedented 944 mm of rainfall combined with high tides exposed critical gaps in the city’s disaster preparedness and formal rescue capabilities.
• Within six months of the floods, Mumbai civic authorities formed dedicated flood rescue and beach safety teams and trained 160 personnel in swimming and water rescue.
• The Mumbai Fire Brigade now maintains a fleet of boats, kayaks and jet skis alongside permanent command centres to coordinate monsoon emergency responses.
• Officials credit these sustained institutional reforms with a significant reduction in monsoon fatalities across the past two decades.