Mumbai: The highest ever rainfall (37 inches in 24 hours) recorded in India, surpassing Chirapunji's record of 83.8cm in 1910, had isolated Mumbai from the rest of the country by the evening of July 28, as power services shut down (except in South Mumbai), train services halted on the their flooded tracks, phone services broke down and Mumbai's domestic and international airport were cut off.

The city's commuters — around seven million who depend on the suburban rail network — were stranded unawares at railway stations or on flooded roads, completely at the mercy of the flood waters. School children were stuck in classrooms, unable to return home because streets were between waist- and neck-deep in water in most areas. Of the around one thousand deaths reported in the state, around 400 are estimated to have been in Mumbai, either drowned or buried alive in landslides and wall collapses.

As a result, while Mumbai's over 15-million citizens were in the dark about conditions across the metropolis, the rest of the country was made aware of the city's woes, thanks to televised images as news channels covered the floods live, while one reporter even managed to join the resue helicopter teams. Troops were deployed to assist the civilian authorities only 24 hours later in relief efforts and to rescue those who had been marooned.

Chief minister, Vilasrao Deshmukh, declared a public holiday on July 27 and 28 extending it to July 30 to prevent people coming outdoors. Vans carrying loudspeakers urged to people to stay indoors unless absolutely necessary, as the Mumbai meteorological department predicted "heavy to very heavy rainfall" over the next 48 hours in Maharashtra and adjoining states.

Schools remained shut while offices that opened shut early to enable people to reach home.

While airport opened 48 hours later, train services resumed intermittently in some parts of the city during the day on July 28.

According to R V Sharma, director of the meteorological department, "This is the highest ever rainfall recorded in India's history." Meteorologists forecast heavy rains and high winds would continue for another 48 hours in Mumbai.

The city's bond, commodity and currency markets suspended trading on July 27, though the stock market was open, (the sensex zoomed past the 7600-mark) but was closed the next day.