Cyclone Nisarga began making landfall south of Alibag on the Maharashtra coast on Wednesday afternoon, intensifying pressure on state authorities already battling the worst coronavirus outbreak in India.

The landfall process will take three hours to complete, the weather office said.

More than 100,000 people have been evacuated in coastal regions of Maharashtra and neighbouring Gujarat, Reuters reported.

Prohibitory orders have been issued in Mumbai -- where there are more than 41,000 coronavirus cases -- to keep citizens safe. (Get live updates on Cyclone Nisarga here. And click here to watch live TV.)

The cyclone is expected to generate windspeeds of up to 120 kmph and storm surges of up to 1.5 metres.

An unusual occurence on the west coast, Cyclone Nisarga comes close on the heels of a major storm -- Amphan -- that left a trail of devastation on the east coast last month.

An IMD model predicts that its impact will be felt as far inland as Indore, in Madhya Pradesh.