Umaiordarame at 02:16, 4 April 2026

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{{Short description|Case of mass hysteria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{wikinews|Mass hysteria over "sweet" water in Mumbai, disease outbreak feared}}{{Update|date=March 2020|reason=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 [[Freshwater|sweet]] by a miracle and could now cure illnesses.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |date=19 August 2006 |title=Hundreds drink 'sweet seawater' |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5266092.stm |work=BBC News}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mahim sweet-water miracle is bogus |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/opinion/the-mahim-sweet-water-miracle-is-bogus |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=Khaleej Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Deshmukh |first=Smita |title=It's official: Nothing miraculous about Mahim water turning sweet |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-it-s-official-nothing-miraculous-about-mahim-water-turning-sweet-1050241 |access-date=2025-08-11 |website=DNA India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=M & C News: Maharashtra warns against Mahim's 'miracle' water : Aug 20, 2006 {{!}} Karmayog |url=https://karmayog.org/m-c-news-maharashtra-warns-against-mahims-miracle-water-aug-20-2006/ |access-date=2025-08-11 |language=en-US}}</ref>

==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,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-08-19/mumbai/27827544_1_sea-water-beach-since-friday-night-samples|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718221711/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-08-19/mumbai/27827544_1_sea-water-beach-since-friday-night-samples|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2012|title=People taste "sweet" sea water in Mumbai|date=19 August 2006|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite news|location=Mumbai|title=Authorities fear "sweet" water could cause diseases|date=20 August 2006|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://hinduonnet.com./holnus/484200608201421.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016201956/http://hinduonnet.com/holnus/484200608201421.htm|archivedate=16 October 2007}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite news|title=IIT geologists say Mahim miracle a natural phenomenon|date=20 August 2006|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://hinduonnet.com./holnus/008200608200340.htm|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020112310/http://hinduonnet.com/holnus/008200608200340.htm|archivedate=20 October 2007}}</ref>

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 of South Asia|monsoon]], two rivers ([[Auranga River (Gujarat)|Auranga]] and Banki) were overflowing into the sea in the region.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sweet water miracle in Gujarat too |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1772777,000900040003.htm |author=Rathin Das |location=Ahmedabad |date=19 August 2006 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307085531/http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1772777%2C000900040003.htm |archivedate=7 March 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5266092.stm | work=BBC News | title=Hundreds drink 'sweet seawater' | date=19 August 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=84010371659|title=Indian Scientists: 'Sweet' Seawater No Miracle; Tests Show Pollution, Sewage|work=underwatertimes.com|date=22 August 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_mahim-seawater-turns-sweet_1048091|title=Mahim seawater turns 'sweet'!|date=19 August 2006|work=dna}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-miracle-water-turns-sweet-during-monsoon/11024 |title=No miracle, water turns sweet during monsoon|website=The Indian Express|date=20 August 2006}}</ref>

A similar natural phenomenon is also observed in the case of [[halocline]].

==Timeline of events==
{{More citations needed|date=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 [[Makhdoom Ali Mahimi|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 ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1048091 Mahim seawater turns ‘sweet’!]

{{Superstitions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2006 Mumbai Sweet Seawater Incident}}

[[Category:2006 in India|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]]

2006 Mumbai sweet seawater incident - Revision history

Umaiordarame at 02:16, 4 April 2026