It was just past midnight on 26/27 Jul 05. My daughter, who is studying at Asian Institute of Communication and Reseach Business School Neral (near Matheran)in Raigad Dist., called me from her mobile phone to inform me that their hostel has been cut off from the rest of the campus due to torrential rains and flooding of the Ulhas river. She informed me that the water had entered the ground floor and all the girl students were asked to move to the first floor. Soon the water level rose to the first floor level and the students were aske d to move up to the second floor. By now the rain was coming down qiute heavily and with no electricity, food or water their was anxiety and concern in the voice of the students and staff. with no communication possible with the outside world due to landline failures, the only saviour was my daughters mobile phone. My urgent and fervent requests to the Army, Navy and Air force officials was met with positive response. The Indian Navy responded from INS SHIVAJI at Lonavla and the students were rescued by daybreak. God Bless the Indian Armed Forces for their Disaster mangement/relief capabilities. India would be rudderless without them.
