Cyclone Nisarga LIVE Updates: No major impact in Gujarat & Maharashtra; weakens into storm

A low-pressure area developing over the Arabian sea is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm - Cyclone Nisarga in the next 48 hours to hit the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat on Tuesday, warned the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The cyclonic storm is said to hit north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts around June 3 morning. The cyclonic storm will be accompanied by heavy rains with strong winds in places like Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Palghar, Vapi, Valsad, Surat, Diu-Daman from Tuesday night to Thursday morning. Seas will be very rough, added the weather body. 

On Monday, this was a low-pressure area is situated along the Karnataka-Goa coast and is said to move northward within the next 60 hours and intensify into Category 1 Cyclone Nisarga. There is a chance of further intensification of the cyclone into Category 2. After that, it is said to recurve northeast and cross Mumbai and Diu between Wednesday and Thursday.

In view of the developing Cyclone situation in the Arabian Sea, NDRF teams have been deployed in the State of Maharashtra. 

Home Minister chairs review meeting

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a review meeting with officials of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on preparedness for dealing with Cyclone Nisarga. The build-up of a cyclonic storm in Gujarat and Maharashtra comes just days after super cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in West Bengal and Odisha. As per sources, the Home Minister will also chair a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Maharastra and Gujarat.

Cyclonic Storm to intesify into Severe Cyclonic Storm in next 12 hrs and cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast in afternoon of June 3

Depression to intensify into a Deep Depression by afternoon&intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm over Eastcentral Arabian Sea during next 12 hrs.Very likely to cross north Maharashtra&south Gujarat coasts b/w Harihareshwar&Daman tomorrow afternoon: Govt of India

Depression over Eastcentral Arabian Sea lay near latitude 14.4°N and longitude 71.2°E about 300 km west-southwest of Panjim, 550 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 770 km south-southwest of Surat, as per IMD update at 2.30 AM today: Govt of India

The Depression over Eastcentral Arabian Sea moved northwards with a speed of 11 kmph during past 6 hrs intensified into a Deep Depression&lay centered at 0530 hours today over Eastcentral Arabian Sea near latitude 15.0°N&longitude 71.2°E about 280 km west-southwest of Panjim (Goa), 490 km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 710 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat). It is very likely to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm during next 12 hours & further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during subsequent 12 hours: IMD (India Meteorological Department)
 

Deployment of NDRF team in Maharashtra in view of impending severe cyclone for necessary preventive actions by state: SN Pradhan, Director General (DG) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). 

Indian Coast Guard ships aircraft & shore stations continuously relaying warnings about impending adverse weather to merchant vessels & fishermen: Indian Coast Guard (ICG). 

The right side of Cyclone Nisarga's wall cloud region has passed through coastal Maharashtra covering mainly Raigad district. It will gradually enter into Mumbai & Thane district during the next 3 hours. Landfall will commence in 1-hour and process will be completed during the next 3 hours: IMD

In the wake of Cyclone Nisarga, the BMC has shifted Veer Mata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo animals, including tiger, leopard, hyena and others, into their holding areas at the zoo which are safer to avoid any damage from tree fall, ANI reported. Quoting BMC, the news agency said that the emergency response team at the zoo with all the necessary equipment is deputed to tackle any untoward incidence. CCTV monitoring of prone areas is also being done for quick response.

The centre of the severe Cyclone Nisarga is very close to Maharashtra coast. Landfall process has started and it will be completed during the next 3 hours. The northeast sector of the eye of the severe cyclonic storm is entering into land: IMD

About 43 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are deployed in the two states; of which 21 are in Maharashtra. Nearly 1 lakh people have been evacuated from the cyclone spot, ANI quoted NDRF DG SN Pradhan quoted as saying.

There will be a total of 16 teams in Gujarat and 10 teams in Maharashtra, with 6 in Maharashtra on standby if required and two teams in Gujarat on standby: NDRF Director General SN Pradhan

• About 43 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are deployed in the two states; of which 21 are in Maharashtra. Nearly 1 lakh people have been evacuated from the cyclone spot: SN Pradhan, NDRF Director General #CycloneNisarga
• We cannot tell about the exact number of evacuations but around 3000 people have been evacuated in Daman and few operations are still going on: AK Pathak, Deputy Commandant, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force). #CycloneNisarga
• The center of the severe #Cyclone Nisarga is very close to Maharashtra coast. Landfall process started & it will be completed during next 3 hours. The northeast sector of the eye of severe cyclonic storm is entering into land:  IMD

Speaking to Republic TV, NDRF DG SN Pradhan has informed, "All NDRF teams have been sent to place. 10 teams in Maharashtra, with 6 teams on standby, if required. 11 teams are in Gujarat with two teams on standby. Another 5 teams requested by Gujarat, are being airlifted from Bathinda and should be reaching anytime in the late evening. The cyclone is of 'severe storm' category which is not as dangerous as the super cyclone - Cyclone Amphaan. Overall, it is a negotiable cyclone and will almost have nil casualties."

Cyclone Nisarga to make landfall on Wednesday near Alibag and is headed towards Raigad, the IMD informed on Tuesday. The IMD has predicted low lying areas in Mumbai to be impacted by the tidal wave with along winds up to 110 KMPH. 

In view of Cyclone Nisarga, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday has shared the preparedness plan. According to the CM, the teams are prepared to tackle the likely damage that could be caused by landslides, heavy rainfall, and so on. The slum dwellers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area have been instructed to evacuate, while the state government is also moving all the people living in kuccha houses. Further, the state authorities have issued an alert to Mumbai city, Mumbai suburbs, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts. 

The rear part of the wall cloud region is still over the sea and the landfall process will be completed in one hour. Its current intensity near the centre is 90-100 kmph to 110kmph. It will move northeastwards and weaken into a cyclonic storm during next 6 hrs:IMD

Mobile network services disrupted in some parts of Raigad district: Nidhi Choudhari, District Magistrate #Maharashtra #CycloneNisarga

The Western Naval Command has mobilised adequate resources for flood relief, rescue and diving assistance in the event of excessive rainfall and flooding of both, urban and rural areas in coordination with the respective State Governments on the Western seaboard. 

The naval command stated that the Ships of the Western Fleet have been also embarked with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) bricks to provide succour to coastal areas inundated due to heavy rain.

NDRF team has been deployed in Palghar - a low lying region. "We'll be evacuating people from coastal areas of about 13 villages and are prepared to carry out the operation while following social distancing norms," an NDRF official told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and administrator of Daman Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli Praful Patel over the impending cyclone. The Prime Minister has assured full support and assistance from the Centre.

Mumbai Police Commissioner has issued prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC restricting any presence or movement of persons in public places along the coast like beaches, promenades, parks and other such places near the coastline to prevent loss of life and property. 
 

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has appealed citizens staying in coastal areas to stay indoors for the next two days as Cyclone Nisarga is expected to make landfall on Wednesday. In his address to the citizens, the Chief Minister has also warned of electricity cut-offs at some places and has urged citizens to follow orders of the local administration. 

Here's a satellite image highlighting impending Cyclone Nisarga as of 21:30 hours on Tuesday.

Image Credits: Skymet

IndiGo has cancelled 17 flights to and from Mumbai, to only operate three flights from Mumbai tomorrow in view of cyclone: ANI reports.

Evacuation in Maharashtra's coastal district of Palghar is underway.

In the wake of Cyclone Nisarga, GVK MIAL managing Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will be operating only 12 arrival flights on June 3. The flights will be operated by 4 airlines which include Air Asia India, Air India, GoAir and SpiceJet to 10 sectors.

Coastguard: ICG ships have safely escorted 109 fishermen in 18 fishing boats to Palghar fishing harbour in Maharashtra

Five NDRF teams each from Bathinda & Vijaywada were airlifted successfully for joining ongoing operations for cyclone Nisarga in Gujarat & Maharashtra respectively, said NDRF director general SN Pradhan. Five teams for Gujarat had already landed in Surat and five teams for Maharashtra are airborne, he added.

Cyclone Nisarga is approaching north Maharashtra coast. According to IMD, the current wind speed of cyclone is about 85-95 kmph gusting to 105 kmph. Wind speed will further increase to 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph during next 12 hours. The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall in most parts of the Mumbai metropolis and heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places over the next 24 hours.

As the cyclone Nisarga is likely to intensify into a "severe cyclonic storm" over the next 12 hours, Mumbai Police on Tuesday has announced that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) has been imposed in the city till June 4. In a tweet, the Mumbai Police asked the citizens not to venture out to coasts, beaches, promenades, parks, and other places along the coastline.

In wake of cyclone Nisarga, Central Railway has rescheduled five special trains that were scheduled to leave from Mumbai on June 3. It has also diverted three special trains, scheduled to arrive in Mumbai on June 3.

According to the India Meteorological Department, cyclone Nisarga was about 250 km south-southwest of Alibag and about 290 km South-SouthWest of Mumbai at 11.30 pm on Tuesday.
 

According to a weather update issued by IMD at 2.15 am, light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy falls are very likely over coastal Karnataka and Marathawada during the next 6 hours. Extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places is also very likely over north Konkan and north Madhya Maharashtra. 

Only 19 flights, including 11 departures and eight arrivals, will be operated from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Wednesday, in the wake of Cyclone Nisarga. According to reports, the aforementioned flights will be operated by five airlines, including Air Asia India, Air India, IndiGo, GoAir, and SpiceJet. However, passengers have been cautioned about probable changes in the schedule of the flights due to the cyclone.

Cyclone Nisarga is approaching North Maharashtra coast with a speed of 11 kph. It is about 200 km south-southwest of Alibag and 250 km south-southwest of Mumbai at 0230 hours IST of 03-06-2020: India Meteorological Department (IMD)

The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) said it has taken various mitigating measures, including suspending passenger ferry services, in view of the cyclone warning issued by the Met department in the area.

• A meeting was held with all stakeholders on the issue of devising preventive measures to tackle potential adversities accompanied by the cyclone
• DGCA has issued a circular to airlines and pilots reiterating its guidelines on adverse weather operations.
• Preventive checks at different airport functions have been carried out
• Water pumps have been positioned across the airport to clear water in case of waterlogging
• Food and beverage counters at the airport will be operational for passengers round-the-clock

1. Mumbai- 8 teams
2. Raigad- 5 teams 
3. Palghar- 2 teams 
4. Thane- 2 teams (1 enroute)
5. Ratnagiri- 2 teams 
6. Sindhudurg- 1 team

According to IMD, a cloud band is engulfing Maharashtra coast which will result in rainfall gradually increasing over it. Here is the wind speed reported at 0630 hours IST of 03.06.2020

Prohibitory orders have been issued under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), in view of cyclonic conditions in the city to ensure that there is no danger to human life, health or safety: Office of the Commissioner of Police, Greater Mumbai.

All fishing boats which were out in the sea off Palghar coast have returned ahead of the cyclone 'Nisarga', which is set to make a landfall at Alibaug in neighbouring Raigad district of Maharashtra on Wednesday afternoon, an official said.

As many as 577 fishing boats from Palghar had earlier gone out in the sea and till Monday evening, 564 came back. Later, help was sought from the Coast Guard, Navy and the fisheries department and the remaining 13 boats also returned to the shore late Tuesday evening, district disaster control chief Vivekanand Kadam told PTI. 

Mumbai Fire Brigade has been directed to stay alert to respond immediately in case of emergencies. 93 lifeguards have been deployed at 6 beaches according to a statement by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)

BMC added that 8 units of National Disaster Response Force and 5 units of Navy have been deployed at various locations in the city. NDRF has 1 team each in Colaba (Ward A), Worli (G/South), Bandra (H/East), Malad (P/South) & Borivali (R/North) & 3 teams in Andheri (K/West)

BMC has also arranged about 35 schools as temporary shelters for citizens, who have been appealed to relocate there, ANI reported.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday urged people from the states coastal belt to remain in safer places in view of the cyclonic storm Nisarga, which is likely to make landfall in the afternoon.

Pawar said people should not step outside home till the intensity of the storm fades. People from Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts should remain in safer places, considering the landfall cyclonic storm Nisarga is set to make near Alibaug from the Arabian sea, a statement quoted Pawar as saying.

The administration is taking complete care to ensure there is no loss of life due to the cyclone, said Pawar, who is also the state's Finance Minister. Lifeguards, police, fire brigade and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in parts of the coastal areas, he said.

Indian Coast Guard Region (West) has mobilised 8 Disaster Relief Teams for Maharashtra to respond to any requirement of Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief arising due to impending landfall of Cyclone Nisarga on Wednesday afternoon. These teams are placed at Dahanu, Mumbai, Murud Janjira & Ratnagiri. Similar teams are also standby at Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.

• CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray is in constant contact with District Collectors on the western coast for updates about the impact of #CycloneNisarga
• He is also in constant touch with @mybmc Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and Ward Officers and issuing instructions to ensure that the cyclone causes minimum damage.
• The CM 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.
   

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. While 33,680 of them were evacuated from Valsad district, 14,400 people were evacuated in Navsari, 8,727 in Surat, 3,066 in Bhavnagar, 2,086 in Amreli, 1,2020 in Bharuch, 761 in Anand and 228 in Gir-Somnath.

The cyclone made landfall near Alibaug in coastal Raigad district of Maharashtra around 12:30 pm. As per India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar in Maharashtra will feel the impact of gusty winds and heavy rains being caused by the storm.

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.

18 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and six teams of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed at different locations. 

Cyclonic storm Nisarga may have already moved away from the seas off the Goa's coastline, but government departments are on the alert to take on any eventuality

The landing and take-off at CSMIA is permitted from 1800 hrs

• -Cyclone Nisarga will weaken into a cyclonic storm by late evening, and by Wednesday night, it will weaken into a deep depression.
• -No untoward incident has been reported in the southern coast of Gujarat so far on Wednesday due to the severe cyclonic storm Nisarga, which has made landfall in neighbouring Maharashtra.
• 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

Severe cyclonic storm Nisarga has crossed Raigad Dist. Now we are experiencing post-landfall effect with a wind speed of 90-100kmph in Mumbai and Thane & moderate to heavy to very heavy rainfall: Shubhangi Bhute, Scientist, IMD, Mumbai

A 65 years old woman died and five of her family members injured in an incident of wall collapse in Khed tehsil of Pune in Maharashtra at around 5 PM today: Pune Zilla Parishad CEO Ayush Prasad

• Extremely heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in Raigad, Dhule, Nandurbar, Nashik districts & heavy to very heavy rainfall in Thane, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Ahmednagar, Pune, Kolhapur, Satara districts in Maharashtra during the next two & half hours: IMD
• Restoration of power supply has been started in Ratnagiri & Shrivardhan. Power supply in Murud, Mandgaon, Goregaon, Alibag, Mhasala, Guhagar, Dapoli taluquas where power supply was switched off from EHV stations will be restored as soon as wind & rain slow down: Maharashtra Govt
   

Two deaths were reported due to Cyclone Nisarga in Pune district on 3rd June, while 3 people were injured. Two animals were also killed due to an electric shock in Mulshi tehsil: Jayshree Katare, Resident deputy district collector, Pune.

Deployment of 20 teams of NDRF in Maharashtra:

• Mumbai- 7 teams
• Raigad- 7 teams 
• Palghar- 2 teams 
• Thane- 1 team
• Ratnagiri- 2 teams 
• Sindhudurg- 1 team

IMD MUMBAI

WEATHER INFO-  Nowcast warning issued at 0930 Hrs IST dated 04/06/2020
Intense spells of Rainfall likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of Palghar, Thane, Mumbai and Raigad during next 3 hours.