The landfall process of Cyclone Nisarga, which has intensified into a severe cyclone, began on Wednesday afternoon near Alibag, 60 miles away from Mumbai in Maharashtra. While announcing the landfall, the Indian Met Department said that the process is expected to be completed in the next three hours.
Severe Cyclonic Storm "NISARGA" Visible Imagery from INSAT-3D (12:30-1257 IST of 03.06.2020) pic.twitter.com/M9l0W3QBVV
— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) June 3, 2020
The country's Met Department said that the severe cyclonic storm dropped heavy rains and brought winds gusting up to 120km per hour on Wednesday afternoon, making it the biggest storm in more than a decade. Maharashtra's government has asked the 16 million people of Mumbai – home to the Reserve Bank of India and the benchmark stock exchange – to remain indoors as the cyclone will bring heavy rains cause a flood-like situation.
#CycloneNisargaUpdate
— ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) June 3, 2020
DAY 0-3rd June 2020,1400 hrs
As Predicted #CycloneNisarga has fully landed near Alibaug,Raigad District of Maharashtra
Video3@NDRFHQ @ndmaindia @PMOIndia @HMOIndia @BhallaAjay26 @PIBHomeAffairs @ANI @PTI_News @DDNewslive @DDNewsHindi @DisasterState pic.twitter.com/LvIYFQecZC
Nisarga is the second to hit the country after Cyclone Amphan that created havoc in the eastern part of the country in the last week of May, resulting in the deaths of nearly 100 people and losses of some $13 billion worth of public property.
The cyclone hit the city at a time when Mumbai accounts for more than a fifth of India’s around 5,900 deaths and about 207,000 infections.
Forward Cloud of Cyclone Nisarga has entered Raigad district about 30 minutes ago & proceeding as per prediction of IMD. Eye of the Cyclone likely to make landfall in 1 1/2 to 2 hrs followed by tail which will have high winds @NDRFHQ @ndmaindia @PIBHomeAffairs @ANI pic.twitter.com/NkikCiuyQX
— ѕαtчα prαdhαnसत्य नारायण प्रधान ସତ୍ଯପ୍ରଧାନ-DG NDRF (@satyaprad1) June 3, 2020
The National Disaster Response Force has evacuated over 100,000 people, including some coronavirus patients, to safer locations. Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust – country's largest port – will also remain closed for 24 hours, the port said in a statement.
