Mumbai shaken, but can bounce back
TEXT OF INTERVIEW
Scott Jagow: India’s financial capital is essentially shut down, following this assault on Mumbai. A hundred people are dead, and more than 300 injured from attacks on two hotels, a restaurant, a train station and several other locations. An Islamic militant group claims responsibility. Mumbai has seen this kind of thing before — a series of bombings two years ago — but India’s economy is still in a vulnerable growing stage.
We’re joined now by reporter Ray Thibodeax, who’s on the streets of Mumbai. Ray, do you have any sense how this might affect India’s economy?
Ray Thibodeax: Well, from what I’m seeing on the ground here, it’s a huge number of businesses are shut down. The streets are remarkably quiet for Mumbai, which you know anyone who’s been here knows there’s always a lot of activity going on. But it just seems remarkably quiet right now.
Jagow: Now based on your previous experience, and I know there was that attack there not that long ago, how did that affect business and industry in India?
Thibodeax: Well, I guess the charm of Mumbai is it’s a resilient city. And it’s strange how even some catastrophes, they’re able to kind of bounce back from that pretty quickly. And in 2006, they had the railway attacks, and you know dozens of people dead, but you know, by all accounts, they were back up and running almost the next day. And so I think we’re going to just wait and see how that’s going to pan out in this situation.
Jagow: Where are you exactly right now?
Thibodeax: I’m right near the Abad House, it’s just kind of a Jewish community center, and apparently there’s a hostage situation that’s ongoing. There’s at least one gunman that’s holding at least six Israelis hostage. And basically what’s going on right now is that there’s police commandos and snipers in different staging areas, and they’re, it seems that they’re going to try to put a quick end to this stand-off.
Jagow: OK Ray, stay safe.
Thibodeax: I will.
Jagow: Ray Thibodeax in Mumbai, India. Thanks for joining us.
Thibodeax: Thank you, Scott.
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