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Cyclone Nisarga to hit western coast: Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat in its path

Weaker than Cyclone Amphan, it is expected to make landfall in Maharashtra by June 3

Cyclone nisarga

Within two weeks of Cyclone Amphan that battered the East coast of India, the country is getting ready to battle Cyclone Nisarga that is to hit the country’s west coast. Christened by Bangladesh, Nisarga is much weaker in intensity, and is headed towards the coastline of North Maharashtra and South Gujarat, The Indian Express reported. It is expected to make landfall on the Maharashtra coast on Tuesday night or in the early hours of Wednesday.

 

 

According to a tweet by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), strong winds along with heavy rains are expected during this period. Right now, a deep depression in the Arabian Sea, it can intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm with wind speeds ranging from 95 – 105 kmph. As per updates given by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places very likely over Konkan & Goa during the next 24 hours. Light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy falls is likely over Coastal Karnataka, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada during the next 24 hours.

Extremely heavy falls at isolated places is likely over north Konkan (Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Raigad) and north Madhya Maharashtra. Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over south Konkan (Ratnagiri & Sindhudurg districts) and Goa and south Gujarat region (Valsad, Navsari, Dang, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Surat).

The sea condition is rough to very rough and the storm surge of about 1 – 2 meters high is likely to inundate low lying areas of Mumbai.  

 

 

Major damage to thatched houses / huts is expected. Roof tops and unattached metal sheets may blow off. Damage to power and communication lines, major damage to kutcha and some pucca roads and flooding of escape routes is expected. Damage to trees and major damage to coastal crops, embankments and salt pans is expected as well.

 

 

Out of the 16 NDRF units, 10 have been deployed for rescue operations and 5 are in reserve. People staying in kuccha houses are being evacuated to safe places and non-Covid hospitals are being made available. The slum-dwellers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area especially in the low-lying areas have been instructed to evacuate. Fishermen have been asked to return from sea too.

 

 

SN Pradhan, DG NDRF in an update on the impending cyclone said, “NDRF teams have been placed as required by the state. Gujarat has got 11 teams and Maharashtra has 10 teams mostly on the coastal districts facing the Arabian Sea. Gujarat has asked for 5 more teams which are being airlifted from Punjab and are likely to reach by the evening of June 2. Evacuation process and awareness drives have begun. Though it is not an extremely severe cyclone category, but all precautions are being taken keeping in mind that while we expect the best, we must prepare for the worst.”

 

 

 

Meanwhile, while the Cyclone Nisarga is yet to come in with full force, gale winds and heavy rainfall have already taken place in some areas across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. Some damage has also been reported.

 

 

 

Related:

Help the Sundarbans recover from the impact of Cyclone Amphan

In Images: A cyclone’s fury

The humanitarian crisis that Cyclone Amphan leaves behind

Blows of the sword to a corpse: Mamata Banerjee on Cyclone Amphan

 

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