2006 Mumbai sweet seawater incident

Case of mass hysteria July 2020 Mass hysteria over "sweet" water in Mumbai, disease outbreak fearedMarch 2020 Follow up with the bacteriological testing The 2006 Mumbai "sweet" seawater incident witnessed hundreds of residents of Mumbai drinking the seawater at Mahim Creek, amid claims that the foul-smelling water had suddenly turned sweet by a miracle and could now cure illnesses.19 August 2006 Hundreds drink 'sweet seawater' https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5266092.stm BBC News Authorities in Mumbai warned against drinking the polluted water because of health risks. Within hours, residents of Gujarat claimed that seawater at Tithal beach had turned sweet as well. This caused a mass hysteria among people who started coming in large numbers to drink the seawater.The Mahim sweet-water miracle is bogus https://www.khaleejtimes.com/opinion/the-mahim-sweet-water-miracle-is-bogus 2025-08-11 Khaleej Times enDeshmukh Smita It's official: Nothing miraculous about Mahim water turning sweet https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-it-s-official-nothing-miraculous-about-mahim-water-turning-sweet-1050241 2025-08-11 DNA India enM & C News: Maharashtra warns against Mahim's 'miracle' water : Aug 20, 2006 Karmayog https://karmayog.org/m-c-news-maharashtra-warns-against-mahims-miracle-water-aug-20-2006/ 2025-08-11 en-US Reactions In the aftermath of the incidents, local authorities feared the possibility of a severe outbreak of water-borne diseases, such as gastroenteritis. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board had warned people not to drink the water,http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-08-19/mumbai/27827544_1_sea-water-beach-since-friday-night-samples https://archive.today/20120718221711/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-08-19/mumbai/27827544_1_sea-water-beach-since-friday-night-samples dead 18 July 2012 People taste "sweet" sea water in Mumbai 19 August 2006 The Times of India but despite this many people had collected it in bottles, even as plastic and rubbish had drifted by on the current. The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai had ordered a bacteriological report into the "sweet" water, but suspected that "contamination in the water might have been reduced due to the waters from Mithi river flowing into the mouth of Mahim Bay".Mumbai Authorities fear "sweet" water could cause diseases 20 August 2006 The Hindu http://hinduonnet.com./holnus/484200608201421.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071016201956/http://hinduonnet.com/holnus/484200608201421.htm 16 October 2007 Possible explanations Geologists at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay offered the explanation that water turning sweet was a natural phenomenon. Continuous rainfall over the preceding few days had caused a large pool of fresh water to accrue in an underground rock formation near the coast, the pool then discharging into the sea as a large "plume" as fractures in the rocks widened. Because of the differences in density, the discharged fresh water floated on top of the salt water of the sea and spread along the coast. Over time, the two would mix to become normal sea water once more.IIT geologists say Mahim miracle a natural phenomenon 20 August 2006 The Hindu http://hinduonnet.com./holnus/008200608200340.htm dead https://web.archive.org/web/20071020112310/http://hinduonnet.com/holnus/008200608200340.htm 20 October 2007 According to Valsad District Collector D Rawal, the reason for the water in Gujarat tasting less salty than usual was that because of the monsoon, two rivers (Auranga and Banki) were overflowing into the sea in the region.Sweet water miracle in Gujarat too http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1772777,000900040003.htm Rathin Das Ahmedabad 19 August 2006 Hindustan Times https://web.archive.org/web/20070307085531/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1772777%2C000900040003.htm 7 March 2007 dead https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5266092.stm BBC News Hundreds drink 'sweet seawater' 19 August 2006http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=84010371659 Indian Scientists: 'Sweet' Seawater No Miracle; Tests Show Pollution, Sewage underwatertimes.com 22 August 2006 15 September 2012 8 March 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230308095617/https://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=84010371659 deadhttp://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mahim-seawater-turns-sweet_1048091 Mahim seawater turns 'sweet'! 19 August 2006 dnahttp://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-miracle-water-turns-sweet-during-monsoon/11024 No miracle, water turns sweet during monsoon The Indian Express 20 August 2006 A similar natural phenomenon is also observed in the case of halocline. Timeline of events July 2007 18 August 8 p.m.: Devotees headed to Mahim Creek amid rumors that the seawater is less salty than usual. Many attribute the phenomenon to divine intervention, particularly because the "miracle" is taking place at the shrine of Haji Maqdoom Baba. 19 August, Midnight: Thousands begin to bottle and drink the water despite desperate pleas by political leaders and health officials who stated that the water could be polluted by toxins. 19 August 1 a.m.: Police arrive as more devotees arrive to experience the "miracle". 19 August, 10:30 a.m.: The tide turns and people admit that the water is "less sweet". 19 August 2 p.m.: The phenomenon ends as people acknowledge that the water has turned salty again. References External links Mahim seawater turns ‘sweet’! Mumbai "sweet" seawater incident Category:Floods in India Category:Mass excitability in South Asian culture Category:Water and Hinduism Category:Water pollution in India Category:2000s in Mumbai