Heavy rain lashing across Mumbai on Friday September 27, has left many parts of city flooded. Interestingly, this came just one day after the IMD issued a red alert and BMC declared a holiday for Thursday, September 26.
While, the skies remained clear on the day, the schools and institutions were closed. However, the rains took over the city again from late Thursday night. This has led to widespread criticism on the internet.
In response, netizens filled social media with memes and jokes about the premature holiday declaration. Users of X, previously known as Twitter, shared posts poking fun at the weather forecast and the BMC’s decision. Many mentioned that such mistakes were not uncommon in the city.
Many posts also featured images of traffic jams and train stations crowded with passengers carrying umbrellas. The rain also caused road traffic to worsen, as flooding became a common sight in several areas.
One user, S R Khandelwal, pointed out, "Holiday declared for yesterday—Rain gods ditched BMC... No Holiday Today—Another Waterlogging spell is incoming! Nature has a history of mocking holiday declared days."
Some users also noted how nature seems to disobey BMC's decisions. Another user, Vedprakash Verma, commented on how rains never seem to arrive when holidays are announced.
Some residents expressed disappointment with the IMD's forecast and the BMC’s handling of the situation. Several posts criticised the government for its lack of preparation and called for better planning and leadership to avoid such confusion in the future.