As Mumbai marks two decades since the devastating floods of July 2005, actor Samridhii Shukla shares that memories of that day are vivid and surreal for her. “I was in first standard and my school was in Santacruz, a low-lying area. Whenever it rained heavily, it would get flooded. During lunch, we were peeking out from the balcony, waiting for an announcement that they were sending us home. But it never came,” Samridhii shares, adding, “Suddenly it was late evening and we were still in school. That’s when it started to feel strange. The canteen staff began distributing snacks and junk food and that’s when we realised — something wasn’t right.”
The actor, who is currently being seen in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai (YRKKH) adds, it was then that she understood things weren't right. "We learnt that many parents hadn’t been able to reach the school. We were moved to the third floor as the lower levels were already under water. All the lights had gone out because the main electrical panel was submerged. They were worried about electrocution.”
She further adds, "Back then, there were no mobile phones or internet and the only way to communicate was through landline. For our parents, it must have been terrifying. We didn’t know how long we’d be stuck or when we’d see our parents again. We were stuck in the school for 2-3 days and slept on school benches as that was our best option."
The actor praises her teachers and school Vice Principal as she recalls how they made groups and made it possible for the kids to be dropped back home. “Teachers were asked what areas they lived in and we were walked back home with them in groups of 25. I remember walking home with my Vice Principal, from Santacruz to Andheri West.” shares Sanridhii, adding, how even when Mumbai had come to a standstill, it was Mumbai's fighting spirit that left a mark.
{{/usCountry}}The actor praises her teachers and school Vice Principal as she recalls how they made groups and made it possible for the kids to be dropped back home. “Teachers were asked what areas they lived in and we were walked back home with them in groups of 25. I remember walking home with my Vice Principal, from Santacruz to Andheri West.” shares Sanridhii, adding, how even when Mumbai had come to a standstill, it was Mumbai's fighting spirit that left a mark.
{{/usCountry}}“Every kilometre or so, there were people standing outside their homes offering food, water, packets of chips. Parents who managed to reach the school brought extra supplies, knowing there’d be other children still stranded. It was heartwarming. Thankfully, I didn’t lose anyone close to me. Many people did — homes, pets, lives,” says Samridhii, adding: "For me, the bigger issue was the system. It should have never happened. It was clearly a sewage and drainage failure, not just a natural disaster. This could have been prevented. If, God forbid, something like that ever happens again, I know one thing — this city will show up. Because Mumbai never lets its people down.”