Nisarga Likely To Turn Into ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’ Says IMD, To Hit Mumbai On June 3

According to IMD, the cyclone which is currently about 700 km of Mumbai, is expected to have a speed of 105-110 kmph when it crosses the coast on the evening of June 3.

(Image: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP)

New Delhi: After Cyclone Amphan adversely hit West Bengal, Cyclone Nisarga is expected to give sleepless nights to people in Maharashtra. India Meteorological Department (IMD)  said that the well-marked low-pressure area over the south-east and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area concentrated into a depression on Monday morning. The low pressure might result in a severe cyclone and cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on June 3. The cyclone will have an impact on state capital Mumbai when it crosses Maharashtra, IMD said in a tweet. It is located about 370 kilometers (km) southwest of Panjim; 690 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 920 km south-south-west of Surat. The depression likely to intensify into a deep depression over the next 12 hours and a severe cyclonic storm, called Nisarga, by Wednesday.

Depression over Eastcentral and adjoining Southeast Arabian Sea: Cyclone Alert for north Maharashtra - south Gujarat coasts. The depression over EC & adj SE ARB lay centred near latitude 13.2°N and longitude 71.4°E about 360 km southwest of Panjim (Goa), pic.twitter.com/ZPrxXEc5Yw

— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) June 1, 2020

The cyclone track issued by India Meteorological Department (IMD) authorities shows that Nisarga will cross very close to the Mumbai coast while entering the land. Maharashtra is on a pre-cyclone alert as very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in parts of the state on Wednesday and Thursday. According to IMD, the cyclone which is currently about 700 km of Mumbai,  is expected to have a speed of 105-110 kmph when it crosses the coast on the evening of June 3. "It will have an impact on Mumbai," IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The depression will intensify into a deep depression, the third and fourth stage of any cyclone formation, by today evening, IMD said. Earlier today, Mumbai and some neighboring areas of Thane and Palghar experienced light rain. Fishermen have been advised to avoid venturing into the east-central Arabian Sea along and off Maharashtra coast. “We’re expecting rapid intensification of the cyclonic system once formed because sea surface temperature is high, wind shear (variation in wind velocity) is low and ocean heat potential is also high,” said Sunita Devi, who is in-charge of cyclones at IMD, on Sunday.CM Uddhav Thackeray has also appealed to the fisherman to avoid going to the see for the next 2-3 days. With the increasing number of Coronavirus cases in the state of Maharashtra, Cyclone Nisarga might appear as a challenge for the state government and its people. Also watch: Danger of Hika cyclone looms large on Gujarat