Raigad district authorities started evacuating residents from coastal areas after the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast landfall of Cyclone Nisarga in Alibaug on Wednesday afternoon, with expected wind speeds of 100 to 120 km per hour.

Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and India Coast Guard have also been deployed. Alibaug, Uran, Murud and Shrivardhan — all shore-based talukas — are on high alert, while Pen, Panvel Mhasala and Tala, which are creek-based, are on alert.

Raigad Collector Nidhi Chaudhary said, “Eight of the 15 talukas in Raigad district could be affected. Of these, four could face a bigger brunt and we are securing those talukas. Till Monday, the forecast was of landfall at Harihareshwar, at Shrivardhan. This was changed to Alibaug on Tuesday. In the short time that we got, we have identified 25 villages in Alibaug, which are on the coastline and would be affected the most, and also identified the number of people who need to be evacuated.”

Ms. Chaudhary said schools, temples, and anganwadis are being used as shelter homes. The institutional quarantine centres which were set up for COVID-19 suspects but are now empty, are also being used as shelter homes. Those who were here are now in home isolation. These centres have been sanitised and used as shelter homes. “The COVID Care Centers where 200 beds are lying empty, are also being used. All village panchayats have been alerted and life guards have been deployed,” Ms. Chaudhary said.

Five NDRF teams have been deployed in the district. Three teams of NDRF, with 22 personnel in each team, have been deployed at Alibaug, while one team each is at Shrivardhan and Murud. “A 24-hour control room has been set up to tackle the situation. The coastal police has contacted people under their jurisdiction and asked them to not step out till Wednesday midnight. Ambulances, JCBs and tree cutting machines have been kept ready, and roads leading to old bridges have been blocked,” Ms. Chaudhary said.

As on Tuesday evening, 5,000 people had been evacuated. “Even as it is raining, the evacuation is on and our target is to secure 25,000 people. We are aiming for zero casualties and working towards it,” Ms. Chaudhary said. Besides, lives of cattle is also being secured by shifting them as well. Around 5,668 fishermen were called back and have been asked not to go back into sea till June 4, Ms. Chaudhary said.