India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued alert for north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coast.
Cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' will affect the coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, more than Gujarat and other neighbouring states.
“The deep depression is likely intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm over East-central Arabian Sea likely to move nearly northwards initially till June 2 morning and then recurve north-northeastwards and cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar (Raigad, Maharashtra) and Daman during the afternoon of June 3,” IMD said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah held review meeting with senior officials of NDMA, NDRF, IMD & Indian Coast Guard on preparedness for dealing with Cyclone brewing in Arabian sea which is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra & Gujarat.
Shah also with interacted with Chief Ministers of Gujarat & Maharashtra via video-conferencing to review preparedness amid cyclone build up. He has assured all possible assistance from the central government.
Union Home Minister @AmitShah held review meeting with senior officials of NDMA, NDRF, IMD & Indian Coast Guard on preparedness for dealing with Cyclone brewing in Arabian sea which is expected to hit some parts of Maharashtra & Gujarat. MoS @nityanandraibjp was also present. pic.twitter.com/qxmeKkUUqt
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) June 1, 2020
As per latest reports, National Disaster Response Force has deployed 11 teams in Gujarat, 10 teams in Maharashtra, 1 each in Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli.
Also Read: Low pressure over Arabian sea to intensify into ‘cyclonic storm’ soon: IMD
"Nisarga" currently lies as a depression 490 km from Mumbai, 280 km from Goa's capital city and 710 km from Surat district in Gujarat.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the depression intensifed into a deep depression at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
It is now slated to further turn into a cyclonic storm in 12 hours and then into a severe cyclonic storm in subsequent 12 hours.
Low pressure, depression and deep depression are the first three levels used by the IMD to classify cyclones based on their intensity.
It is likely to cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar town in Raigad district and Daman as a severe cyclonic storm on Wednesday.
IMD's Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra has said that the severe cyclonic storm will have a wind speed of 90-105 kmph when it crosses the coast on June 3.
According to Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, it will be the first-ever cyclone in recorded history to hit the Maharashtra coast in June.
Whereas, as per another researcher at the same institute, 'Nisarga' will be only the second cyclone in recorded history that will be hitting the Maharashtra coast in the pre-monsoon season i.e. April-June.
"The one and only cyclone in the past that hit Maharashtra coast in the pre-monsoon season was May 1961 cyclone," Vineet Kumar said.
The IMD Director-General also said that the cyclonic storm will affect the coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, more than Gujarat and neighbouring states.
"As per our predictions, Maharashtra coastal districts like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane, Raigad, Mumbai and Palgarh will be more affected by it."
The Central Water Commission has sounded flood alert for Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Thane, Mumbai, Palgarh and Nasik districts of Maharashtra, Daman district of union territory of Daman and Dui, Silvassa district of Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Valsad district of Gujarat.
There could be inundation in low lying areas, townships, and city areas. Wind speed could also cause damage to trees, telephone, and electric poles, Mohapatra warned.
Due to its influence, the east central Arabian Sea and south east Arabian Sea is currently rough. Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea till Thursday near Kerala, Lakshadweep, coastal Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
(IANS)
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Southwest monsoon hits Kerala, confirms IMD
The cyclonic storm is currently located 280 km west-southwest of Panjim (Goa), 430km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 640 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat).
Dr Sunita Devi, India Meteorological Department's in-charge of cyclones, said, "The cyclone will further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours."
It will cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar and Daman, close to Alibag in Maharashtra's Raigad district during the afternoon of June 3.
IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra on Monday said that the cyclonic storm will affect the coastal districts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, more than Gujarat and neighbouring states.
The storm surge is expected to be one to two metres above the astronomical tide and is very likely to inundate low-lying areas of Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts at the time of landfall.
According to IMD's Cyclone E-Atlas, no weather system has turned into a cyclone and made landfall along the Maharashtra coast during June. Cyclone E-Atlas has been tracking tropical cyclones and depressions over the North Indian Ocean since 1891.
Echoing it, Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), said, "The cyclone Nisarga is about to scrape around Mumbai on June 3. If that happens, it will be the first cyclone in the recorded history to hit the Maharashtra coast in June."
Another IITM researcher said it would be the "second cyclone" in the recorded history to hit the Maharashtra coast in the pre-monsoon season (April-June). "The only cyclone that hit the Maharashtra coast in the pre-monsoon season was in May 1961," Vineet Kumar said.
According to the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project, only 25 per cent cyclones that develop in the Arabian Sea approach the West Coast.
Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls said, "only three cyclonic storms have made landfall over or near Mumbai since 1891, and all three occurred in October and November. The latest was Phyan in 2009."
The number of cyclones and severe cyclones in the Arabian Sea has risen by nearly 32 per cent in the last five years, according to the IMD data.
The cyclonic storm is currently located 280 km west-southwest of Panjim (Goa), 430 km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 640 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat).
It will make landfall with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph. The storm surge is expected to be one-two metres above the astronomical tide and is likely to inundate low-lying areas of Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts at the time of landfall.
Fishermen are warned not to venture into the sea. 31 NDRF teams have also been deployed to carry out rescue operations. Widespread damage is also expected.
The last cyclone to hit Mumbai was cyclonic storm 'Phyan' on November 11, 2009. Nisarga is currently located around 400 km from Mumbai as a deep depression.
(IANS)
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The cyclone is expected to make landfall late Tuesday night or early Wednesday, with all authorities in the state braced for the fallout.
"Care is being taken to prevent power outages. Precautions are being taken at chemical units and nuclear power plants in Palghar and Raigad," Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said in an update on the cyclone.
While Palghar has the country's oldest atomic installation - the Tarapur Atomic Power Plant complex and other power units, Mumbai has the BARC setup and Raigad houses power, petroleum, chemicals and other major industries, besides the Mumbai Port Trust, the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and vital installations of the Navy.
As a precautionary measure, people living in non-pucca houses are being shifted to safer locations and an estimated 2,000 slum-dwellers in low-lying areas have been asked to evacuate.
More than 60 patients were relocated from the Bandra Kurla Complex Covid-19 hospital to the Goregaon NESCO hospital during the day.
Ten National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units have been deployed for rescue operations and six more kept in reserve. A 24x7 control room has been operationalised and the army, navy and air force and the IMD have been instructed to ensure coordination.
Mumbai Police DCP Pranaya Ashok slapped prohibitory orders preventing people at all beaches, gardens, parks and other open spaces from June 3's 1 a.m. till noon of June 4.
The Western Naval Command said it was geared up for emergency response during heavy rain and flooding due to the cyclone Nisarga, along with five flood rescue and three diving teams that would be in place throughout the monsoon.
Ships of the Western Fleet have been embarked with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) material to help coastal areas that may be inundated due to heavy rains.
Around 95 personnel of Mumbai Fire Brigade have been deployed in teams across all the six major beaches in the city to carry out any rescue operations.
Earlier on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department issued 'Red Alert' for June 3 for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar. It will continue on June 4 for Palghar, Dhule and Nandurbar. Alerts have also been issued for Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.
The IMD Mumbai said the depression over the east-central Arabian Sea moved northwards at 11 kmph speed during early Tuesday and intensified into a deep depression around 5.30 a.m. around 280 km west-southwest of Goa and 490 km south-southwest of Mumbai.
"It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and further into a severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 12 hours (June 3)," the IMD bulletin said.
The storm is expected to move towards north and recurve north-northeast later to cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar (Raigad) and Daman by Wednesday afternoon.
The IMD has advised DC-I signal at all ports in north Maharashtra and hoist signal No. LC-III at all ports in south Maharashtra and Goa.
The cyclone may strain the security forces already burdened by the Covid-19 pandemic duties in the worst-hit Mumbai Metropolitan Region - most falling in the coronavirus red zone - in nearly three months now.
The IMD Mumbai has also forecast "very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy rainfall in isolated places" in Mumbai and districts of north Konkan, even as drizzles or light showers have continued to soak Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad since Monday.
(IANS)
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The right side of the cyclone's wall cloud passed through coastal Maharashtra, mainly covering the Riagad district.
"The centre of the cyclone is very close to the Maharashtra coast. The landfall process has started and it will be completed in three hours," said IMD.
The north-east sector of the eye of the cyclone is currently entering the land. The severe cyclone will cross Maharashtra coast, close to Alibag in the next three hours.
"The cyclone will gradually enter into Mumbai and Thane district during the next three hours," stated IMD in its 12 p.m. bulletin.
The cyclone is currently whirling with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kilometres per hour 40 km away from Alibagh, 95 km from Mumbai and 325 km from Surat.
The weather bureau has sounded red alert for at least seven coastal districts of Maharashtra, while several districts along Gujarat's coast are also expecting heavy rainfall.
Strong winds hit Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra under the impact of #NisargaCyclone. Storm surge also witnessed in the region
(Video courtesy: @satyaprad1) pic.twitter.com/lb9Joa9NBP
— OTV (@otvnews) June 3, 2020
Nisarga comes on the heels of Cyclone 'Amphan' which had killed close to 90 people when it hit eastern coast of India as well as Bangladesh on May 20, flattening villages, destroying farms and leaving millions without electricity.
(IANS)
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