Unseasonal and unusually heavy rainfall on Monday caused widespread disruption across Mumbai, affecting roadways and railway tracks and notably flooding the King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital in Parel. The incident led to major inconvenience for hundreds of patients and visitors, raising serious concerns about the hospital’s infrastructure and its preparedness for such emergencies.
Despite the disruption, emergency medical services remained uninterrupted. However, several areas, including the Outpatient Department (OPD) and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), experienced waterlogging. Hospital staff acted promptly to manage the situation. “As soon as we noticed water entering the premises, we alerted all the parents and began manual drainage. Fortunately, there was no harm to life or property,” said Suhana Shaikh, a nurse at the hospital.
Ronak Singh, a visitor, shared his experience: “We’ve been coming to this hospital for years. I was with my father, who recently had knee surgery. It was risky for him to move through ankle-deep water. The hospital should have had better plans in place, especially being located in a low-lying area.”
Although the flooding was largely restricted to specific wards and waiting areas, many were left standing in water-soaked clothes. “We were standing when water started rising under our feet. It was extremely uncomfortable and distressing,” said Malti Navare, who was attending to her injured son.
Responding to the incident, Medical Superintendent Mohan Desai said, “KEM is located near Hindmata, which suffers from drainage issues. When drainage fails there, we’re affected too. The intensity of the rainfall was unexpected. We used all available pumps and began manual drainage immediately.”
He added that the hospital currently has six pumps and plans to procure more if necessary, as officials reassess disaster readiness for the upcoming monsoon season.
Source: Mid-day
