Cyclone Nisarga (Pic Via IMD Website)Maharashtra braced for the onslaught of the Cyclone ‘Nisarga’ currently hovering around 190 km south-southwest of Mumbai — which is expected to make landfall near Harihareshwar in adjoining Raigad district sometime on Wednesday (3 June) afternoon.
All emergency services, the police, fire brigade, NDRF and SDRF, army, navy, airforce, coast-guard, home-guards, and others are fully geared for the anticipated fallout of the cyclone, while the domestic flight operations have been curtailed as a precaution.
Slated to hit Raigad at a dizzying wind speed of 110-120 kmph over the next six hours, it is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, the effects will be experienced in the entire Konkan coastal region and adjoining districts of western Maharashtra, said IMD Mumbai.
Presently, the Nisarga is being tracked by the Doppler Weather Radars in Mumbai and Goa as it swirls gradually towards the land.
The Mumbai International Airport Ltd. announced on Wednesday that it will operate only 19 flights — including 11 outgoing — instead of the regular 50 daily, in view of the cyclone.
The flights shall be operated by Air India, AirAsia, IndiGo, GoAir and SpiceJet subject to possible last-minute changes in schedules,
Mumbai has been battered by continuous rains since Tuesday (3 June) evening and this morning, several low lying were inundated in the city and suburbs.
While prohibitory orders are clamped in the city, Mumbai Police and other security forces are out in full swing to ensure people don’t step out to the seafronts, promenades or beaches, and other open spaces.
As a precautionary measure, an estimated 2,000 people living in the non-pucca houses have been shifted to safer locations and an estimated 2,000-plus slum-dwellers in low-lying areas have been asked to evacuate.
Earlier Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued ‘Red Alert’ for 3 June for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar. It will continue on 4 June for Palghar, Dhule, and Nandurbar. Alerts have also been issued for Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.