Facebook, Twitter flooded as thousands offer help and information on rain, traffic

As rains lashed the city, Twitter timelines and Facebook walls were also inundated with status updates about flooding in different areas, offers for help, suggestions, advice and, some humour to counter the boredom and exasperation many faced while stuck in traffic.

As rains lashed the city, Twitter timelines and Facebook walls were also inundated with status updates about flooding in different areas, offers for help, suggestions, advice and, some humour to counter the boredom and exasperation many faced while stuck in traffic.

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Twitter and Facebook connected people stranded in the city even as some mobile networks were jammed. Groups on Facebook asked stranded people to post there if they needed food or shelter.

Twitter timelines were flooded with the hashtag #Mumbairains or #MumbaiRains with updates at every second and re-tweets of a number of people about status of rain and traffic across the city. The hashtags were trending for hours through the evening as people attempted to keep everyone else in the know.

A few Twitter users started a googlespreadsheet to help connect those who had some form of transport to those who needed rides. However, this little innovation did not really take off.

Many tweets and Facebook posts centred around car-pooling. A few people such as @pmahesh put up their numbers so that people could call if required. Some like @Netra re-tweeted others to say: “leaving in 15 mins hopefully from Domestic airport to Powai.... Anyone interested? #CarPool” (sic) and @indiawire “Autos in Mumbai charging double. SMS all auto complaints to 08898881919 wrt auto charging more” (sic).

@HoeZaay tweeted: “Breaking News: Scores of people rush out of their houses to get stuck in traffic so that they can tweet about the #Mumbairains”

Of course, there were several comparisons to 26/7, the July 26, 2005 downpour that killed hundreds. “Is 3/9 the new 26/7?” asked a few twitter users.