`We were hungry and scared'

Sonika Shrivastav, a 12-year-old student of Bombay Scottish School, Powai, shares her 26/7 experience.


Till 3:30 we were happily playing in the water. Then we all got into the bus and left for home, taking the Andheri-Kurla Road since our normal route was flooded. There were 40 of us, from Class I to VIII.

Till 7:30 we were stuck in a very boring jam and moving slowly. Then our bus turned into a little lane that was full of water. Shailesh, the head of our bus agency, gave us biscuits to eat. But by now we had stop enjoying and were bored and wanted to go home. We were also hungry.

A shopkeeper nearby give us all milk to drink. A Class VIII prefect, Rahat Kazi, was very good and took everyone’s phone number and waded to the PCO to tell our parents that we are all stuck and to give them the location.

We were all worried and scared. The nullah was overflowing and it seemed the water would come into the bus anytime. It was also dark. The smaller children were crying.

Some parents reached us and gave us biscuits and some food, but we couldn’t go out because the water level was too high. There was so much water all around, but none to drink.

It was a long time before the fire brigade van reached our bus around 2am. It was a small van, so we had to leave our bags in the bus and squeeze inside. Some children even sat on the rooftop of the van.

When we reached the fire station I still couldn’t go home, though it was close, because the Mithi river was flooded and the water was till my neck. My friend’s mother took us to her house. My mother came to take me home the next morning. I cried when I finally hugged her.

We faced a lot of trouble. We were hungry and scared and stuck. But it was nothing compared to the trouble other Mumbaikars faced.