- The cyclone is expected to hit the Maharashtra coast by Wednesday afternoon or evening with high wind speeds ranging up to 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued ‘red’ alert for Mumbai, Thane and Palghar where the city police has placed Section 144 of CrPC for 24.
- As many as 65,000 people across five districts have been evacuated in Mumbai.
- In Gujarat, the administration is evacuating over 78,000 people from four districts close to the coastline.
Cyclone 'Nisarga' is all set to make landfall along the Maharashtra coast on Wednesday with high wind speeds between 100 to 110 kilometres per hour (kmph) gusting to 120 kmph, according to the Home Ministry. It added that heavy rainfall can also be expected in the city of Mumbai and other coastal areas of the state.
Landfall is when the eye of the cyclone moves on land after being on water. However, it doesn’t mean the cyclone has “arrived” at that particular time.
The storm is
likely to impact Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts of Maharashtra like Raigad and Palghar along with Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Bhavnagar and Bharuch districts of Gujarat and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
The cyclone’s impact is coming at a time when both Maharashtra and Gujarat are struggling to control the increasing coronavirus infection in their region.
The cyclone is expected to hit the Maharashtra coast by Wednesday afternoon or evening with high wind speeds between 100 to 110 kmph — and they can go upto 120 kmph.
IMD
As many as 65,000 people across five districts have been evacuated in Mumbai.
BCCL
The National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) has deployed 40 teams in Maharashtra, Gujarat as well as in the union territory (UT) of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. At least four teams of the NDRF have been deployed at Alibaug, Shrivardhan among other areas to tackle any emergency situation.
In addition to this, nearly 150 patients at its COVID facility in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai have been shifted to another location as a precaution in the wake of the cyclone.
IMD
The Indian Navy has kept five flood teams and three diving teams on stand-by in Mumbai, a defence spokesperson said.
IAF
Mumbai hasn't "experienced a serious cyclone landfall since 1891", according to Adam Sobel, professor of atmospheric science at Columbia University. The IMD is predicting heavy rainfall, squally winds, very rough seas and storm surges inundating low lying areas of the city.
DD National
In Gujarat, the administration evacuated over 78,000 people from four districts close to the coastline.
IAF
However, the IMD said the cyclone may not make landfall on the Gujarat coast. Nonetheless, it will have an impact in the form of gusty winds coupled with heavy rainfall in the coastal belt.
BCCL
Thirteen teams of the NDRF and 6 of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed at different locations, Relief Commissioner Harshad Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar.
IAF
The local administration has identified 140 buildings which will be utilised as temporary shelters for the evacuees in these four districts.
IANS