We had asked readers about how they coped with the torrential rain in Mumbai and this is what the early responses said, verbatim:

Rains lash Mumbai putting everything to a grinding halt but the spirit of Mumbaikars is on the very high..

I live in Mulund and had to travel to Thane. I hopped on my bike not expecting to see so much water and realising how affected the city was. But what impressed me most were the hundreds of people walking home from places as far as Ghatkopar and Vikhroli to reach their homes in Mulund, Thane and Kalwa...

Can one imagine this happening anywhere else in the world? Nothing stops the Mumbai spirit.

Srini Viswanathan

This was one of the most ferocious rain I have ever seen. I had a very stunning experience. I had gone to visit one client at Nirlon Compound at Goregaon.

I left the client's office at around 4.00 PM and took my car and started to come towards the main gate of Nirlon compound. It was raining heavily but does not seem any thing unusual.

Suddenly I saw some Ashoka trees adjacent to the compound wall of Nirlon Compound started bowing exceptionally low and I realised the danger. I was about to turn and suddenly the wall at my right side broke and a tremendous amount of water poured in the compound.

Before I could realise any thing I experienced that my car is floating in the water and I lost complete control over my car.

The flowing water drove my car for more than 100 feet. I was trying to balance my car not to let it turn upside down by moving from one seat to another. I was totally helpless.  Somehow my car came to the side of the road.

I pulled hand brake and shut off the engine. My car was at a relatively safe halt. I saw out. the whole road was converted in a flooded river.  I shouted for help.

Some people rushed from Nicholas rushed for my help. I was sitting helplessly in the car. They managed to walk through the flow of water and helped me to come out of the car.

I was saved.

Thanks to all those who helped me. Thanks to god.

Kiran

Working at Mahape New Mumbai itself had been an experience. Today had a meeting scheduled at Powai at 4 pm.

While it had been raining during the day, we were all too busy to take note of any disruptions. Left office at 3.15 pm, it just takes 45 minutes to reach Powai from Mahape. However when we came out on main road, the reality struck us. It was a chaos, hordes of people waiting for some form of public conveyance.

Made quick decision, let's get back to office and ensure that everyone leaves early before situation worsens. Transport
coordinator came back, with response that earliest it will be 5 pm when buses could be available for dropping people. So let it be 5 pm.

Many youngsters in office were blissfully unaware of the world outside, worried about their scheduled calls with customers in the US. It took quite a amount of convincing and talking to customers to make them leave office.

Colleagues back at Powai, were still calling. "Come for meeting, even if it's late, any way you are staying at Hiranandani only". Wow! what a devotion, I thought.

Started finally at 5.45 after pushing the bulk of people out of office. At the steering wheel it was a champions challenge. Thane-Belapur Road is chock-o-block. Let's take MIDC road, we turn into MIDC a huge pool of water with stranded cars welcomes us. "Take the next road", similar scene. Finally the fourth route was only knee deep and car passed through and we were at Airoli Bridge. Mobiles? What is it, continuously it said "call failed". The network had not been able to take load, despite tall claims.

"Oh God! what a drive" , it was already 6.45pm, the ride from AIroli to Powai was smooth. There were hardly any vehicles, people asking for lift to reach home.

As I turned into Hiranandani Gardens, I had a sigh of relief. "Finally, at home". But the best or worst was yet to come. The elite, Hiranandani area had turned into a pool. Main roads had water flowing like river, it looked as it car would be swept away by strong stream of water coming from hills.

Somehow reached home and parked the car in the safety of stilt parking, covered from rains. Just when I was relaxing with a hot cup of tea, the watchman appears..

"sir the ground floor is getting flooded, please take out your car to 2 levels above at Podium".

Reshikesh Joshi

I was stranded at Ashokvan near Shanti Nagar, Borivali-East with Sanjay Gandhi National Park releasing its dam water. It flooded the whole of Shanti Nagar. To my terror, a Tata Indica which was parked on the road was submerged in the waters up to its windscreen, started to drift due to sheer force of the flowing water and nearly went for about 25 meters. Not to mention that there were many people and debris caught in these raging waist-deep waters. The water levels are still high, (at 11.40 pm). After a five-hour wait, I dared the waters to go ahead.

Dr Ninad Shah

Being in office was the best I could do.

I did not want to wade through water, and just decided to wait. To my surprise, colleagues who had left at 4:30 pm were coming back! So I chuckled to myself, said well done and went on with patience.

Krishna Daswani

The horrifying Tuesday!

That's what I call it. I had to come all the way from my college, K J Somaiya Coll of Engg, Vidyavihar to Prabhadevi, and I had to walk the whole distance. If that sounds terrible, all the rickshaws and cabs were just turning down requests to come to Prabhadevi! And at places like Sion and Dadar, I had to swim through the dirty water! A nasty experience, that what I call it!

Gaurav Shetti