Rain is supposed to be light and refreshing, like it is here in Seattle. When we have an inch of rain in a single day, we think we've had a pretty rough day.
In Bangalore, 3 inches of rain uproots trees and blocks roads.
In Chennai, I was caught once when a massive depression hit the city, and dumped 8 inches of rain, bringing the city to a standstill. I thought that was horrible.
But 37 inches? What can people do when a great city like Mumbai faces the wrath of an angry Indra? When an entire region is devastated? How can you but admire the resilience and courage of such a city?
The people will rise again, mourn their losses and go on with their lives. But efficient government means issuing warnings when you know there is going to be massive amounts of rain. It means having relief and rescue teams coordinated before a tragedy strikes, not declaring a tragedy to be a tragedy. It means we should not rely only on the sheer courage and generosity of the citizens of the region.
But I'm just shocked, upset and overwhelmed by the force of nature. I cannot just blame the administration, but I have to blame someone.
I'll just hope that it never happens again to any place on earth. I'll (irrationally) hope that nature stops reminding us how small we are.
note: The title, Ek boond, means "one drop", and was the name of a Hindi poem we read years ago, about a drop of rain, written by Ayodhyasingh Upadhyay "Hariaudh" (thanks for reminding me Aditya)