NDRF personnel clear blocked roads in Alibaug. (Express Photo: Srinath Rao)
Cyclone Nisarga Tracker, Weather forecast Today Live Updates: Severe cyclonic storm Nisarga will weaken into a cyclonic storm by late Wednesday evening as it moves northeastwards, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The cyclone made landfall near Maharashtra’s Raigad district at around 12.30 pm today and crossed Alibag an hour later, at around 1.30 pm.
As of 3.30pm, it lay 70 km southeast of Mumbai and 60 km west of Pune. This could arguably be the first time that a cyclone was getting so close to Pune. Since 8.30am today, rainfall recorded in Alibag recorded 102mm whereas Mumbai (Colaba) has reported 33 mm. The severe cyclone is set to move further westwards and head towards Nashik and neighbourhood in north Madhya Maharashtra before it weakens to cyclonic storm over the next three hours.
The Maharashtra government released a list of do’s and don’t for residents during the cyclone. (Watch videos as Cyclone Nisarga makes landfall along the Maharashtra coast)
The Indian Navy and teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are on standby to conduct rescue and relief operations. Thousands of residents have been evacuated from along the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, two of the worst-hit states by the coronavirus pandemic. (Follow coronavirus live updates)
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)
IMD Update: The severe cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' over coastal Maharashtra moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 24 kmph during past six hours and weakened into a cyclonic storm. It lay centered at 4:30 pm about 70 km east-northeast of Alibag and 80 km east-southeast of Mumbai (Colaba) and 45 km northwest of Pune.
Several low-lying areas in Maharashtra's Pune remained inundated due to rains brought in by cyclone 'Nisarga' since Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday. Incidents of trees falling due to gusty winds have also been reported at some places in the city. Parts of Maval and Mulshi tehsils are likely to be affected due to the cyclonic condition, it said.
A senior official from district disaster management cell said that sporadic incidents like trees felling and damage to houses and power disruptions were reported from some places.
"Teams of district disaster management cell, revenue, police have been stationed in the areas where the effect of cyclone is likely to be expected in these tehsils," he said. (PTI)
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the severe cyclonic storm Nisarga will weaken into a cyclonic storm by late evening today and will move northeastwards. It is currently travelling with wind speeds ranging between 85-95 kmph gusting to 110 kmph.
Landfall is when the centre of the storm crosses the coast and progresses further into land. The maximum damage of a cyclone occurs when the 'eye' of the storm touches land. Lanfall does not literally mean a 'direct hit' of the storm to any location on the coast. The direct hit is reported where the eye of the storm, that is, the centre of the storm comes onto the shore. During the landfall period, that can take two to three hours to complete, storm surge are commonly experienced. It leads to inundation of low lying areas and trigger flood-like situation. Storm surge can range from 0.5 metres to 2 metres in case of a cyclone or a severe cyclone. It can go upto 5 metres in case of a Super Cyclone. The eye of the Cyclone Nisarga is about to touch south of Alibag, after the landfall commenced.
No untoward incident has been reported in southern coast of Gujarat so far on Wednesday due to the severe cyclonic storm 'Nisarga', which has made landfall in neighbouring Maharashtra, a senior official said.
Authorities have so far shifted more than 63,700 people living close to the coast in eight districts to safer places as a precautionary measure, he said.
"Wind speed remained normal in Valsad and Navsari districts, located close to the Arabian Sea. However, the wind speed may increase up to 60 to 70 kmph in the next three hours as the cyclone is moving towards north-east Maharashtra," state Relief Commissioner Harshad Patel told reporters.
He said no untoward incident or human injury has been reported so far.
"Valsad and Navsari received rainfall of 2 mm and 7 mm, respectively, since this morning. The situation is under control," Patel said. (PTI)
BMC staff providing water and food to citizens evacuated to temporary safety shelters. Over 40,000 people living near the sea coast in Mumbai were shifted to safer places in view of the cyclone 'Nisarga'.
"The BMC shifted 10,840 people from areas near the sea coast and landslide prone locations to 35 municipal schools where temporary accommodation facilities have been set up. They were provided food and water," the civic body said in a release.
Besides, following an appeal by the BMC, nearly 30,000 people on their own moved to these temporary accommodations, it said.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday directed the state administration tomaintain operational readiness and ensure immediate rescue works as cyclone 'Nisarga moves from Mumbai and Thane to North Maharashtra.
Thackeray is in constant touch with collectors of districts on the western coast of the state for updates about the impact of Nisarga, Chief Ministers Office (CMO) said.
Thackeray is also in constant touch with BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and ward officers and issuing instructions to ensure that the cyclone causes minimum damage, the CMO said.
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal (in orange) visited cyclone relief centres at Worli Seaface Versova Beach to supervise the work being carried out.
Strong winds uproot a tree at D N Road Fort, near BMC headquarters. BMC has also received 37 complaints of tree fall in the city, but there was no report of any injury.
Mumbai Police also said that hundreds of people living in areas near sea shores like Colaba in South Mumbai, Worli and Dadar in Central Mumbai, and Juhu and Versova in Western Mumbai were shifted to safer places.
Severe cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' crossed the coast between 12:30 pm and 14:30 pm of with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph. It lay centered at 2:30 hours IST of today over coastal Maharashtra close to east-southeast of Alibag, 75 km southeast of Mumbai (Colaba) and 65 km west of Pune: IMD
Flight operations have been suspended at Mumbai airport between 2:30 pm and 7 pm after a cargo aircraft belonging to FedEx overshot the main runway of the Mumbai airport on its arrival from Bengaluru, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said in a statement.
The aircraft was towed away from the runway and there has been no disruption in flight operations, it said.
"Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport witnessed a runway excursion today (Wednesday) with FedEx flight 5033 arriving from Bengaluru. The incident occurred when the MD11 aircraft landed on runway 14/32," it said.
Further, MIAL said that the flight operations at the airport have been suspended between 2.30 pm and 7 pm due to adverse weather.
People getting evacuated from Darukhana in Mumbai as Cyclone Nisarga sets in.
Stranded merchant vessel Basra Star with 13 crew members onboard has been allowed to dock at Ratnagiri port due to Cyclone Nisarga. Most of the crew is Indian and have been allowed to disembark. The vessel that was carrying diesel from the Gulf to Maldives has been stranded near the Indian coast since September 2019 after it encountered a problem with its engine.
Santoshkumar Darokar, the Deputy Nautical Advisor at the DG, Shipping told The Indian Express, "In this condition of the cyclone and with one crew member reporting sick, on humanitarian grounds, we are first allowing the crew members to disembark. The vessel has been allowed into the inner anchorage at Ratnagiri. She is now close to the beach. The officials of the Indian Coast Guard and the maritime administration are working together. We will take the necessary action and follow all the procedures that are required."
Input from Mayura Janwalkar
Here are some pictures from Mumbai. Cyclone Nisarga lies 80 km away south of the city, and has just crossed Alibag. Mumbai is likely to receive heavy rains and strong winds for the next few hours, the IMD said. (Express Photos)
Cyclone Nisarga is moving at north-eastwards at a speed of 20 kmph, with winds at 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph. In the next six hours, the cyclone is expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm, the IMD said. The wind forecast for Maharashtra and Gujarat over the next three hours is as follows: "90-110 kmph gusting to 110 kmph along and off Raigad and adjoining areas of Mumbai and Thane; 60-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph likely along and off Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, remaining areas of Thane and Palghar districts; 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph along and off Valsad and Navsari districts of Gujarat. After three hours, these conditions will gradually decrease, the weather department said.
Nisarga crossed the Maharashtra coast close to south of Alibag at 1.30 pm. It is currently 80 km from Mumbai. The IMD says the process of landfall will continue for another hour as "part of the wall cloud region is still over the sea".
Movement on the Bandra-Worli sea link has been suspended due to the cyclone. "In light of #CycloneNisarga, no vehicular movement is permitted on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link," the Mumbai Police tweeted. Also, here's a message from the Commissioner:
In Mumbai's Darukhana, people put their footwear to mark their spots in the queue awaiting food distribution which has been delayed due to the cyclone. Trees have been uprooted in multiple areas in Alibagh
Heavy rains are likely in coastal areas of Maharashtra, including Raigad, Mumbai and Palghar districts. Strong winds are also being reported as Cyclone Nisarga moves closer.
Over 10,000 residents have been evacuated by the BMC in Mumbai so far, and more than 30,000 have gone to safe locations on their own. Cyclone Nisarga lies about 95 km from Mumbai. The city, which has been battling the Covid-19 outbreak, is not bracing itself for heavy rains and gusts of wind as the storm nears.
Input from Sanjana Bhalerao