Cyclone Nisarga HIGHLIGHTS: 3 Dead As Storm Strikes Maharashtra; Power Supply Hit In Mumbai
Cyclone Nisarga in Mumbai: Cyclone Nisarga has made landfall near Alibaug on the Maharashtra coast with super-speed wind of ranging between 120-140 kmph. The "process" will be completed by about 4 pm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday. Gusty winds, torrential rains, and high tide marked the arrival of the severe cyclonic storm. The landfall process started around 12.30 pm. It made landfall about 40 km from Alibaug, 95 km from Mumbai.
Background
New Delhi: In the latest update by the IMD for cyclone Nisarg which is expected to hit Mumbai a few hours from now, the weather department has said that Cyclone 'Nisarga' is approaching North Maharashtra coast with a speed of 13 kmph during past 06 hours. It is 155 km south-southwest of Alibag and 200 km south-southwest of Mumbai.
The weather department has also alerted everyone that the eye of the cyclone is visible on the radar now and heavy clouds can be seen around Maharashtra coast.
Cloud band is engulfing Maharashtra coast. Rainfall will gradually increase over Maharashtra coast.
— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) June 3, 2020
The storm is likely to impact Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts 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.
As the cyclone is approaching closer to Mumbai the city has been witnessing heavy rainfall since Tuesday evening.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the chief ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat on Tuesday evening and assured them of all help from the Centre. He also spoke with the administrator of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Praful K Patel, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
Also Watch: Nisarga impact witnessed in Ratnagiri; winds become stronger
Maharashtra and Gujarat are on Red Alert and have been preparing to handle the severe cyclonic storm.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's Office (CMO) has listed some of the measures being taken. These include evacuating those staying in thatched huts. 'Slum dwellers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, particularly those in low-lying areas, have been asked to evacuate,' the CMO said. Non-COVID-19 hospitals have been instructed to prepare for any medical emergencies. The state is also taking measures in case of breaks in electricity supply and to secure the nuclear power plant in Palghar district.
CM Uddhav has also imposed section 144 in the coastal areas of Maharashtra and has deployed police force around Gateway Of India
NDRF has deployed 40 teams in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Rescue and relief teams of the Indian Army and the Indian Navy along with ships and aircraft of the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force have been put on standby. Ships of the Indian Coast Guard are already engaged in rescuing fishermen at sea.
In Gujarat, the administration has started evacuating over 78,000 people from four districts close to the coastline, officials said on Tuesday. Thirteen teams of the NDRF and six of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed at different locations.
In a relief to people living near the shore, the IMD indicated the cyclone may not make landfall on the Gujarat coast.
Also watch, Maharashtra witnesses rainfall ahead of Cyclone Nisarga
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