Mumbai is on high alert as Cyclone Nisarga likely to make landfall:
Just when I think that that we have had enough in 2020, it gets worse, the year keeps on surprising you. Now according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a depression in the Arabian Sea has intensified into a deep depression and is likely to further convert into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours. The cyclone is expected to hit Maharashtra and Gujarat by Wednesday afternoon, 3 June, and is called ‘Nisarga’.
Deep Depression to intensify into Cyclonic Storm during next 6 hours. To cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar and Daman, close to Alibag (Raigad District, Maharashtra) during the afternoon of 03rd June. https://t.co/rXRAo26pyF pic.twitter.com/lOJUD8FMFP
— IMD Weather (@IMDWeather) June 2, 2020
For now, Mumbai and all the neighboring districts have been put on high alert. PM Modi also tweeted about the same and urged people to take necessary precautions.
Took stock of the situation in the wake of cyclone conditions in parts of India’s western coast.
Praying for everyone’s well-being. I urge people to take all possible precautions and safety measures.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2020
Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Dhule, Nandurbar and Nashik districts of Maharashtra are on red alert, with the Met department forecasting the “possibility of extremely heavy rain at isolated places”.
As per the Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) 8:20 pm bulletin, the cyclone lay about 300 km south-southwest of Alibagh (Maharashtra), 350 km south-southwest of Mumbai, and 560 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat).
NDRF is deployed in both the states, 10 teams are in Maharashtra & 11 teams are in Gujarat. However, Gujarat has asked for 5 more teams so we’re getting them airlifted from Punjab. They should be able to reach Gujarat by late night today: NDRF Director General SN Pradhan pic.twitter.com/c2aNr9sZy4
— ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2020
The IMD has issued a storm surge warning in the sea off Mumbai, with consequential flooding on land. “Storm surge of 1-2 meters above astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low-lying areas of Mumbai during the time of landfall,” it stated.
More than 30 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Six teams are on standby in Maharashtra and 2 teams in Gujarat
This will be the first-ever cyclone to hit in Mumbai.
