On the fateful night of September 23, 2023 when the heavens exploded, many citizens were left to fend for themselves as flood water started gushing in many areas including Corporation Colony. One of the affected families was of the Sathes. The first thing the family did was, swinging into the cleaning job. Every member of the family started collecting important items that were destroyed due to flood water and putting them to a safer place. The woman of the house, a known Interior Designer Arundhati Sathe came out of the house and appealed to her neighbours and others to be ready with evacuation bags. Her idea was to get regular and needy items ready in small and light bags in case they have to evacuate. Alertness and quick action on Sathe’s part resulted in the family sustaining minimum loss.

 

Sharing her harrowing tale with ‘The Hitavada’, Arundhati Sathe said, “It was 4.30 in the morning. I was awake. I heard thunder, lightning and banging of window panels. I was shocked to see water in rooms. Many household items including LPG cylinders and furniture got submerged and utensils were floating all around. Soon other members of the family woke up. Immediately, we all started picking up maximum items that were destroyed in water and putting them to safer place. It was the day of Mahalaxmi Pujan. We were compelled to move even Mahalaxmi idols to another room. When water receded, we were quick to clear the sludge.”

 

Sathes’ timely and joint action helped the family minimise the loss as compared to what their neighbours and others around sustained. Books, documents, utensils, crockery, refrigerator, juicer, washing machine were destroyed. Of three cars of the family, two had heavy repairs recently. Arundhati has her office on the first floor of the building in front of her house. Fortunately, her neighbours were quick to reach the office which was not locked, and save important documents. “It was horrible and unpleasant experience. We came to know about the devastation in the locality through news channel the next day. It was unbelievable at first when one such flood had been to our doorstep. We pray to God that nobody should face the trauma that we did,” expressed Sathe.