Floods in the Mountains of Mt.Abu

I retrieved my laptop from the cabinet during the second week of August, intending to share some observations about the monsoon on Facebook. Our community, known as Abuites, was quite concerned, as we had encountered only about six light showers until August 7th, with just two of them being heavy. It seemed like we were heading into another dry spell.

On the morning of August 9th, the rain started with a gentle drizzle, intensifying as the day progressed. By midday, the downpour had become a torrential deluge, as if the gates of heaven had opened, releasing a flood instead of the expected brimstone and fire. It transformed the hill station into a waterlogged landscape.

Streams of water began flowing down the small creek in front of our house, causing our modest bridge to overflow. The water volume surged by the minute, and I realized a flash flood was imminent. Relentless heavy rain persisted, and the continuous downpour led to torrents of water converging towards the major drainage system. Unfortunately, the neglected state of the streams and gutters aggravated the situation because of obstructions and backflows, causing water levels to rise in various parts of Abu. It submerged the main road under over three feet of water, and landslides blocked some pathways, forcing people to detour around the affected areas, even trekking from the Hanuman temple because of the landslide.

The deluge caused a significant wall in front of Dhundai Central School to collapse, with debris obstructing the fast-moving water. Vehicles parked in the area became submerged and the current swept away motorcycles. Amid the chaos, my cook, Naresh and I trudged through waist-deep water to retrieve our drifting water storage tanks. I moved my scooter to higher ground and secured our water tanks to the main iron door. As the water level kept rising, the surrounding landscape changed dramatically, with water reaching the fourth step of our house. Liz, who was on her bed, attempted to call for help, but connectivity issues made it difficult. She eventually managed to contact people in town to inform them of our situation.

Around 1:45 pm, water seeped into the house, and by 2 pm, it had risen to three feet. Time was running short, preventing us from salvaging belongings. The rising water engulfed cupboards, causing fridges and a washing machine to float. Liz’s bed was adrift, prompting me to move her into her specialized wheelchair. Urging Naresh and our maid to hold on to the wheelchair, I struggled to open the rear iron door, which was obstructed by the rising water. I put in a lot of effort and managed to open it, letting the water rush in.

The water level had reached about four feet inside the house, submerging Liz’s lower body. After clearing the debris, we guided her to the back of the house. "With the combined effort and Liz's cooperation, we successfully transported her to the rooftop.". As the unrelenting rain ceased by 4 pm, the water gradually receded, leaving behind a messy aftermath. Liz was lowered from the roof by CRPF personnel and taken to a temporary shelter at the Starlet hostel. Leonard and his team arrived to begin the cleanup and restoration process. I’m immensely thankful to everyone who extended their help to Liz and me during this challenging situation.

Despite the impending danger, I managed to capture a few photographs.