A deep depression over the Arabian Sea, intensified into cyclone Nisarga on Tuesday noon. It is expected to make landfall close to Alibag near Mumbai this afternoon as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 mph. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast moderate rainfall in most parts of the metropolis and heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places over the next 24 hours.
“The landfall location will be very close to Alibag but extensive damage can be expected in Mumbai also. For Mumbai, Thane, and Raigad there can be a storm surge of 1-2 metres and a warning for extremely heavy rainfall has been issued,” M Mohapatra, director-general IMD, said.
NDRF teams are deployed in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Thousands of people were evacuated in low lying areas of Maharastra and Gujarat ahead of Cyclone Nisarga that is expected to hit the country’s western coast on Wednesday afternoon.
The name, Nisarga proposed by Bangladesh, means ‘nature’. The storm is being continuously tracked by the Doppler Weather Radars or DWRs in Goa and Mumbai.
The last severe storm to hit Mumbai struck in 1948, killing 12 people and injuring more than 100. Cyclone Nisarga will be the second to strike India’s coasts in less than two weeks. Last month Cyclone Amphan, one struck Bengal and parts of Odisha, killing nearly 100 people and affecting lakhs.
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