Sewage and rainwater flood Jivabhai Chawl homes in Kurla

During Saturday's torrential rain, residents of Jivabhai Chawl in Kurla, Mumbai, faced severe flooding as rainwater mixed with overflowing sewage from choked sewer lines seeped directly into their homes. The deluge left local families trapped inside their low-lying residences, with dirty water covering floors and damaging furniture.

For 64-year-old Sunil Joshi, who has lived in the chawl since birth, the arrival of the monsoon season brought dread instead of relief from the summer heat. Joshi spent Saturday sitting on his bed, keeping a close eye on the few inches of space separating the rising water from his mattress.

According to Joshi, there was no peace during the day or night. He noted that residents could not move around, lie down, or even use the toilet due to the flooding inside their living spaces.

Residents alleged that this year's flooding was severely worsened by choked sewer lines. The floodwater mixed with overflowing sewage before entering the homes, resulting in a foul stench that lingered throughout the day.

Joshi's 30-year-old daughter-in-law, Nisha Joshi, explained that the toilet lines reversed their flow, forcing sewage water back into their living space. She added that the family did not even have access to public water on Saturday because the entire area outside the chawl was completely submerged.

Inside their one-room-kitchen home, nearly two feet of water remained throughout the day. The family spent hours huddled together, trying to find the least damp spot while ensuring that the elderly members had the driest place to sit.

To minimize damage, residents of the chawl resorted to leaving their doors open. Nisha Joshi explained that shutting the doors could cause the pressure of the accumulating floodwater to break them down entirely. Leaving for a relative's house was rarely an option for the affected families, leaving them with no choice but to wait out the storm inside their flooded homes.