Rain-hit India starts clean-up
2005-08-02 13:21
Mumbai - Tens of thousands of workers pressed on Tuesday with a massive clean-up in India's rain-lashed financial hub Mumbai as heavy monsoon downpours let up for the first time in a week.
Authorities, meanwhile, evacuated 60 000 slum-dwellers living on banks of rain-swollen rivers, lakes and dams in Mumbai's northern outskirts and across Maharashtra state to higher ground as some flooding was reported.
Skies were overcast but rain had ceased falling in much of Mumbai for the first time since July 26.
The reprieve gave work crews a chance to clear mounds of garbage and carcasses of animals drowned in the rains that killed 409 people in the city.
A total of 993 people have died across all of Maharashtra due to the week-long monsoon deluge, the worst on record.
Government criticised
Work crews employed on "Operation Recovery" used bulldozers and cranes to shift debris in the city of 15 million.
The army of 130 000 municipal workers repaired potholed roads, unclogged drains and restored electricity and drinking water.
Analysts said the downpours caused such damage to the heavily industrialised state that a government forecast of seven percent national economic growth for the year ending March 2006 may need to be cut to six percent.
Weather forecasters said the easing of the rains would last until at least Wednesday.
Suburban train services were returning to normal along with air travel and office attendance was much higher than in previous days.
But some areas of Mumbai, especially its vast slums, were still under water. Shanty and pavement dwellers, who make up 60% of the population, were among the hardest hit. Many had huts swept away while others battled to keep meagre possessions dry.
Newspapers said the chaos caused by the rains was a reality check on Mumbai's aspiration to become a world-class city.
"For a city that inspires Big Apple-sized expectations for business and economy, its poor infrastructure has brought to light the chinks in its formidable economic armour," said The Economic Times.
Opposition politicians and newspapers have strongly criticised authorities over the damage caused by the rains. Many blame the city's failure to improve storm water drainage.
The flood danger was still strong.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said flood alerts were issued in four different regions after reservoir levels touched "danger levels."
"Water is being released from various dams (as a safety measure) in the state and people are being evacuated from low-lying regions," he said after up to 208mm fell in some areas in 24 hours.
"There is no epidemic alert as of now," said Federal Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said, adding, "the message to people is 'boil your water'. "