Cyclone Nisarga made landfall south of the beach town of Alibag on Wednesday afternoon. (Express Photo: Narendra Vaskar)
Cyclone Nisarga Tracker, Weather forecast Today Live Updates: A depression, the remnant of Cyclone Nisarga, over the western part of Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region is expected to weaken into a well marked low pressure area (WML) in the next 12 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The depression is moving northeastwards at a speed of 27 kmph. It lies about 60 km northwest of Akola (Maharashtra), 220 km west-northwest of Nagpur (Maharashtra) and 230 km south-southeast of Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh).
Due to strong winds along the west coast, Mumbai has received 50 mm of rainfall at Colaba and 25 mm at Santacruz in the 24 hours ending 8.30 am. Moderate spells of rain are likely to continue for next few hours.
Cyclone Nisarga, which made landfall near Raigad district on Wednesday afternoon, claimed the lives of two people in separate incidents.
Cyclone Nisarga LIVE: Fishermen tow their boats in Mumbai on Tuesday, following the red alert issued by the IMD for extremely heavy rainfall. (Express Photo: Ganesh Shirsekar)
Rescue personnel relocate their jetski as part of precautions against cyclone on the Arabian Sea coast in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. (AP Photo: Rajanish Kakade)
Here are some pictures of water-logging in Mumbai. These were taken by Congress corporator Ravi Raja at 10.45 am at Kings Circle, Matunga.
The 11.30 am bulletin by the IMD states that the depression over the western parts of Vidarbha is moving north-eastwards at a speed of 27 kmph and lies about 60 km northwest of Akola (Maharashtra), 220 km west-northwest of Nagpur (Maharashtra) and 230 km south-southeast of Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh). It is expected to continue moving east-northeastwards and weaken into a well marked low pressure area by this evening.
In other weather related news, the IMD has said Delhi will get respite from the heat till June 10 owing to south-westerly winds bringing moisture to the capital. "The combined effect big of southwesterly winds and western disturbance will lead to thunderstorm with light to moderate rain accompanied with squally winds (50-60 kmph) over Delhi NCR and North west India starting from today till June 5 with peak activity on June 4," Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the India Meteorological Department's regional forecasting centre, told PTI.
Parts of Mumbai receive rains on Thursday morning. Here are some visuals from Kandivali:
The Government of Maharashtra and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai need to proactively design urban infrastructures and public space so that Mumbai can better accommodate and withstand major cyclone and extreme weather events much before the next cyclone comes. And it may not miss Mumbai, writes Nikhil Anand in this opinion column
The IMD in Mumbai has issued a warning for intense spells of rainfall at isolated places in Palghar, Thane, Mumbai and Raigad districts during the next three hours.
The deep depression over interior Maharashtra has weakened into a depression, the IMD said. It lies over west Vidarbha and is moving east-northeastwards. It is likely to further weaken into a Well Marked Low Pressure Area (WML) by this evening, the weather department said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted light to moderated rainfall at most places, and heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over north Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Vidarbha and south Madhya Pradesh today. Places over south Konkan and Goa, and south Gujarat, could also witness rainfall.
Mumbai is likely to witness rains or thundershowers towards the evening or night, the IMD said. The minimum temperature is likely to be 25 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature could touch 31 degrees Celsius.
The deep depression, the remnant of Cyclone Nisarga, will further weaken into a depression this morning. It is currently over Madhya Maharashtra, and moving north-eastwards at a speed of 27 kmph. It lies 70 km east of Nashik, 90 km north-northeast of Aurangabad and 180 km northeast of Pune.
Severe cyclonic storm Nisarga spared the country’s financial capital Mumbai, already grappling with the coronavirus crisis, as it skirted further northeast of Alibag after the landfall on Wednesday afternoon.
While there were no major loss to life and property, strong and gusty winds uprooted several trees across the city, mostly in D N Road Fort, Colaba, King Circle, and Mulund, civic officials said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) received 39 tree-fall complaints from the city, 40 from its eastern suburbs, and 38 from the western. At least nine complaints of wall collapse and 20 short-circuit incidents were also reported. Read more here
The beachtown was prepared for the worst on Wednesday morning – doors were shut, windows bolted, shops shuttered, roads empty and vehicles parked safely.
As cyclone Nisarga, categorised as a severe cyclonic storm, made landfall just south of Alibag in Raigad at 12.30 pm, the winds in excess of 100 kmph uprooted trees, bent power lines, rattled roofs, sent debris flying and showered the streets with coconuts and mangoes. Read more here
Cyclonic conditions on Wednesday prevented several people, even suspected coronavirus patients, to delay hospital visits. Already down on its knees from the raging Covid-19 pandemic — Mumbai on Wednesday reported 1276 new cases taking its total count to 43,492 — the city was witnessed heavy rainfall and gusty winds as Cyclone Nisarga made landfall at Alibag in Raigad district.
Khalid Ansari, a social worker at Nagpada, said several people, even those ill, avoided venturing out to see a doctor due to the rain. “Those who could wait for a day before seeking medical help decided to stay at home,” he said. Read more here
Authorities in Indore and Ujjain divisions in the western part of Madhya Pradesh have been asked to be prepared to deal with the impact of Cyclone 'Nisarga', which is likely to hit the state on Thursday, an IMD official said. The cyclonic storm is likely to enter Khandwa, Khargone and Burhanpur districts in the state between 7 am and 11 am on Thursday, the official said. Rains have already been reported from some places of the state due to the impact of the cyclonic storm, he said. The weather condition is likely to affect Indore and Ujjain divisions for the next two to three days, he said, adding that some places may witness thunderstorms with heavy rains and lightning during this period. Strong winds ranging from 50 to 60 kmph are expected in some areas in the western part of the state, the official said. PTI
Advancing in haste, Cyclone Nisarga intensified swiftly along coastal areas in Maharashtra but also weakened quickly as the day progressed.
On Wednesday morning, when it was still in sea -- about 150 km away from Alibag, its site of landfall -- Nisarga intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS). Soon, its landward advancement picked pace, with winds strengthening and raging anywhere between 110 and 120 km/hour recorded at the time of landfall. Read more here
Incessant rain with intermittent heavy spells, accompanied by strong winds, lashed Pune and surrounding areas on Wednesday, resulting in power outages due to damage to 540 feeder lines across the district, and several instances of tree collapse and waterlogging.
Pune city and surrounding areas started receiving rain from Tuesday evening, with some intermittent spells of heavy showers and strong wind on Wednesday afternoon, as a result of cyclonic activity in the coastal area. Read more here
As severe cyclonic storm Nisarga over east-central Arabian Sea moved north-eastwards, it crossed Maharashtra coast, close to south of Alibaug, and hardly any impact was witnessed in Gujarat on Wednesday.
Apart from light rainfall for about three days, Gujarat is unlikely to see any further activity resulting from the cyclone.
“There will be no impact of Cyclone Nisarga on Gujarat, not even high velocity winds. Only light rainfall is expected in a few districts of South Gujarat and Saurashtra for the coming two-three days,” said Manorama Mohanty, Regional Additional Director of India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) in Ahmedabad.
“The Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Nisarga' over east central Arabian Sea moved north-eastwards with a speed of about 23 kmph, crossed Maharashtra coast close to south of Alibaug with a maximum sustained wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph between 12:30 and 14:30 hours... 75 km southeast of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 65 km west of Pune (Maharashtra). It is very likely to move north-eastwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm during next 06 hours,” the IMD bulletin stated.
The state government had already evacuated nearly 67,000 persons from south Gujarat and Saurashtra districts. It had also stationed 13 teams of the National Disaster Response Force and six teams of the State Disaster Response Force in South Gujarat on June 2, as a precautionary measure.
Advancing in haste, Cyclone Nisarga intensified swiftly along coastal areas in Maharashtra but also weakened quickly as the day progressed.
On Wednesday morning, when it was still in sea -- about 150 km away from Alibag, its site of landfall -- Nisarga intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm (SCS). Soon, its landward advancement picked pace, with winds strengthening and raging anywhere between 110 and 120 km/hour recorded at the time of landfall.
The process of landfall, which commenced a little after 12.30 pm, was completed within three hours. The 60-odd km centre of cyclone still had considerable wind speed.
But, after the entire system moved into land from Raigad coast, it began showing signs of weakening and swerved from its originally-designated path. As a result, it gave Thane, Mumbai, Palghar in Maharashtra, Daman, and Valsad and neighbouring districts of South Gujarat a miss.
IMD's cyclone updates, by 4 pm, indicated that the cyclone was headed towards Pune district. Ahmednagar and Nashik were also on alert as the storm was predicted to head towards north Madhya Maharashtra.
In a first, Pune district experienced a cyclone up close on Wednesday, as Cyclone Nisarga reached up to 45 km north-northwest of the district. This happened despite Pune district not even being along the projected path of the cyclone, as forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Nonetheless, Pune was placed under yellow alert as heavy rain and squally winds were forecast.
As the cyclone has advanced beyond Raigad district, the energy department has started restoration of power supply in Ratnagiri, Shrivardhan.
"At present , the power supply in Palghar, Vasai , Mumbai, Navi Mumbai except Uran, where supply has been switched off for safety due to heavy winds, Kalyan, except some parts of Kalyan rural where again supply has been switched off for safety, is normal," the statment said.
The power supply in Murud, Mandgaon, Goregaon, Alibag, Mhasala, Guhagar, Dapoli taluquas it was switched off from EHV stations will be restored as soon as the speed of wind and rains slow down. Power supply in rest of Maharashtra , except few minor local breakdowns, is normal. However, the demand of MSEDCL has dropped considerably from 18000- 19000MW to less than 10000 MW due to closure of industries.
A 17-year-old boy dies in wall-collapse. Amar Jawlekar, a Class X student, was leaving the house with his mother when a wall collapsed. Mother survived but he succumbed to injuries.