Cyclone Nisarga, which is moving towards Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts, will turn into a severe cyclone on Wednesday and will make landfall near Alibaug, triggering heavy rainfall and wind with speed upto 110 kilometre per hour, India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday. It is the first storm in over a century that threatens Mumbai.
"It is very likely to intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to move north-northeastwards and cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar and Daman, close to Alibagh (Raigad District, Maharashtra) during the afternoon June 3 with a maximum sustained wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph," an IMD statement said.
Several cities in Maharashtra will receive heavy rainfall today.
"Cyclone Nisarga is likely to make landfall near Alibaug tomorrow. At the time of landfall, wind speed is expected to be 100 kmph. Palghar, Pune, Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Dhule, Nandurbar, and Nashik are expected to receive heavy rainfall tomorrow," said Dr Anupam Kashyapi, head of the weather and air pollution monitoring unit, IMD, Pune.
Apart from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have also been put on high alert as some parts of these two states and the Union Territories fall on the path of the cyclone.
The Mumbai police in a late-night order banned people from coming to places like beaches, parks and promenades along the coastline from Wednesday morning till next day's noon. Violators will face action, the police said.
Over 30 NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been deployed in areas expected to be affected along Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke with the chief ministers of the affected states over phone to review their preparedness against the cyclone. Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is already grappling with the constantly rising number of coronavirus cases.
With inputs from ANI
