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Cyclone Nisarga makes landfall close to Alibaug, to weaken as it reaches Mumbai

Over the next three hours, Raigad and adjoining areas of Mumbai and Thane are forecast to face wind speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph.

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Mumbai: Severe cyclonic storm Nisarga made landfall in Maharashtra at about 1 pm, close to Alibaug amid rains and strong wind across the state’s coastal district. It is forecast to move northeastwards towards Mumbai and Thane, while weakening into a cyclonic storm.

According to an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin, the centre of the storm crossed the Maharashtra coast close to south of Alibaug. At 2.30 pm, it lay centered over coastal Maharashtra to the southeast of Alibaug, 75 km southeast of Mumbai and 65 km west of Pune.

“It will move northeastwards and weaken into a cyclone storm over the next six hours,” the IMD statement said.

“The eye of the storm starts weakening once the cyclone hits, so Mumbai and Thane will not be hit directly,” said K.S. Hosalikar, Deputy Director General of Meteorology at IMD, Mumbai.

Hosalikar had earlier told ThePrint that Mumbai has been known to miraculously miss any direct hit by cyclones in the past and the IMD has no record of any cyclonic storm having directly hit the city.


Also read: PM Modi speaks to Gujarat & Maharashtra CM over Cyclone Nisarga, assures all possible help


Cyclone to weaken

The Raigad district and adjoining areas of Mumbai and Thane are forecast to face wind speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph over the next three hours and gradually decrease thereafter. The forecast earlier was for a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph in these districts.

The districts of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and the remaining areas of Thane and Palghar districts will see a wind of 60-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph. Gujarat’s Valsad and Navsari districts will see winds of 60-70 kmph, gusting to 80 kmph.

“The storm will move northeastwards and weaken into a cyclonic storm over the next six hours,” the IMD said.

The Maharashtra government in a statement said, “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has given directions for maintaining a state of operational readiness and to ensure immediate rescue works as the cyclone moves from Mumbai and Thane to North Maharashtra.”

Impact

The Covid-necessitated lockdown along with prohibitory orders in most Maharashtra districts, including Mumbai, ensured there were no injuries or loss of life until Wednesday afternoon.

The state government’s ‘Mission Begin Again’ was to be rolled out Wednesday onwards, with permission for walking, jogging, cycling along beaches, promenades and public parks in the first phase. However, CM Thackeray appealed to people late Tuesday to stay home on 3 and 4 June, considering the cyclone.

Alibaug recorded strong winds since morning with the speed at 102 kmph as of 2.30 pm, blowing off some thatched rooftops, loose metal sheets, uprooting trees and impacting network connectivity in some areas.

District Police Superintendent Anil Paraskar told reporters that 13,000 people were evacuated in advance to safe spots and teams of 10 police officials and one government official were positioned in vulnerable villages for effective relief work, if required.

In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) evacuated 10,840 people living in slums close to the coast by Wednesday afternoon and shifted them to 35 transit shelters across the city.

“Another 30,000 had shifted of their own accord, paying heed to the BMC’s warnings. The civic body plans to conduct medical tests of all those evacuated before allowing them to go back to their homes once the cyclone recedes,” Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Chahal told the media, adding the BMC got in touch with the Odisha government to learn from the latter’s experience of dealing with cyclones.

Mumbai’s Colaba weather station recorded a wind speed of 50 kmph, while the Santa Cruz station recorded a wind speed of 26 kmph. By 2.30 pm, the wind speed had slowed down to 15 kmph at both places. There were 37 incidents of trees being uprooted in the city and suburbs, but no injuries and incidents of landslides.


Also read: Mumbai, struggling with Covid crisis, braces for its first cyclone as IMD tracks Nisarga


 

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1 COMMENT

  1. Major Worrisome Concerns in Some Parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra Which Focused India’s Attention On 3 June , 2020.
    The date 3 June , 2020 brought to the scene the following major worrisome concerns in Maharashtra and Gujarat , with which the entire country was focused :-
    1. A severe cyclonic storm ‘ Nisarga’ hit the coast of Alibaug in Maharashtra in the forenoon of 3 June , 2020 with wind speed of about 100 to 120 kms per hour. The storm , however , spared Mumbai from major worrisome concern. While two persons are reported to have died somewhere in Pune , huge damage to vulnerable houses , trees and other property has been reported in areas where it made landfall. More details are expected to come.
    2. A cargo aircraft of a private company is reported to have overshot the runway while landing at the Mumbai airport on 3 June 2020 due to heavy rain and high wind speed of cyclonic storm Nisarga over the region , forcing suspension of the operations till 7 P.M. No untoward happening has been reported.
    3. The cyclonic storm ‘ Nisarga’ is reported to have impacted on 3 June 2020 some coastal areas of Gujarat with rain and winds which had weakened.
    4. A boiler blast on 3 June 2020 in a chemical factory located in Bharuch region of Gujarat has been reported. A massive fire is reported to have broken out. At least 5 persons are reported to have died while 40 workers have been injured , receiving treatment in hospital.
    In the context of these major worrisome concerns in relation to major worrisome concerns on 3 June , 2020 , it may be apt to refer readers to this Vedic astrology writer’s predictive alerts for more care and appropriate strategy in article – “ Predictions for coming year 2020 by kushal kumar” – published last year 2019 on 10 October at theindiapost.com/articles/predictions-for-coming-year-2020-by-kushal-kumar/. A predictive alert covering April –June , particularly May-June , in 2020 , can be found in the said the article of 10 October , 2019. And in relation to 3 June 2020 , the predictive alert would be found reading like this :-
    “ Coastal States of India may be called upon to take more care and appropriate strategy against likely cyclones , storms , floods , coming of danger via sea , landslide and damage to crops. Such dates of June as 3 , 4 , …………………………may be watched with care. Coastal States/UTs such as Gujarat , some parts of Maharashtra ……………………look to be vulnerable. It may be apt for them to take necessary precautions during May-June , 2020.
    While dealing with or handling gas , oil -diesel , chemicals , fire-sensitive stuff , more alertness may be called for. Similar precaution may be taken while driving on road-rail-air”.

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