Cyclone Nisarga, which intensified into a "severe cyclonic storm" this morning, has made landfall on the Maharashtra coast. This is the second cyclone to strike India in two weeks and the first such storm that will impact Mumbai - the worst-hit city in the country by coronavirus - in over 100 years. Over 10,000 people, including some coronavirus patients, have been moved to safer locations. Mumbai, the city worst affected by the coronavirus outbreak with over 41,000 cases so far, its suburbs and neighbouring districts are on high alert. Prohibitory orders have been placed in Mumbai, banning movement of people along the coast. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra and Gujarat and the administrator of Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and assured all possible support. No one is allowed to come out in public places like beaches, parks and promenades along the Mumbai coastline. The ban is from Wednesday morning till next day's noon, the police said in the order, anyone caught violating the ban will face criminal action.
Here are the live updates on Cyclone Nisarga:
A 58-year-old man died after an electric pole fell on him in Maharashtra's Alibaug as Cyclone Nisarga's monstrous winds pounded the coastal state today.
The victim Dashrath Babu Waghmare was rushing home when the electric pole fell on him. He died soon after. The incident happened in Umate village at 1.30 pm, soon after the severe cyclonic storm hit the state.
Heavy rains and strong winds battered Maharashtra as severe cyclonic storm Nisarga made landfall in Alibaug near Mumbai at 1pm this afternoon. Trees swayed, a number of electricity poles toppled and some trees were also uprooted in the popular getaway, around 100km from state capital Mumbai. Read
BJP MLA Nitesh Rane on Wednesday tweeted videos allegedly showing damage caused to a makeshift COVID-19 hospital in BKC area in Mumbai due to cyclone ''Nisarga'', but the authorities said the structure was intact.
Built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the 1,000-bed hospital in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) is run by theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Some 250 coronavirus patients, who are undergoing treatment there, were temporarily shifted to other facilities as a precaution in view of cyclone threat on Tuesday.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the resilience showed by people and officials helped in "mitigating the intensity" of the Cyclone Nisarga amid the COVID-19 crisis.
After making landfall near Alibaug with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph in afternoon, the cyclone weakened in the evening and moved towards north-east Maharashtra, sparing Mumbai and other areas.
Mr Thackeray said losses have been reported from coastal Konkan and some other regions. He said orders have been issued to carry out spot inspections to assess the damages caused by the cyclone.
Cyclone Nisarga, which made landfall on the Maharashtra coast with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph, caused minimal damage to life and property and the "worst is over", the NDRF chief said on Wednesday evening, reported PTI. However, NDRF teams will remain deployed and assist state authorities in recovery work, said SN Pradhan, the chief of the federal contingency force, in a video message. "Whatever damage has happened has been generally limited to Raigad district and its talukas," he said, adding the "worst is over".
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the resilience showed by people and officials helped in "mitigating the intensity" of the Cyclone Nisarga amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Authorities in Indore and Ujjain divisions in the western part of Madhya Pradesh have been asked to be prepared to deal with the impact of Cyclone Nisarga, which is likely to hit the state on Thursday, an IMD official said, reported PTI. The cyclonic storm is likely to enter Khandwa, Khargone and Burhanpur districts in the state between 7 am and 11 am on Thursday, the official said. Rains have already been reported from some places of the state due to the impact of the cyclonic storm, he said. The weather condition is likely to affect Indore and Ujjain divisions for the next two to three days, he said, adding that some places may witness thunderstorms with heavy rains and lightning during this period.
Mumbai is totally safe and no fdamage to property has been reported, Mumbai's Additional Municipal Commissioner (Western Suburbs) Suresh Kakani told NDTV. Trees have been uprooted in some places and roads are now being cleared. "We had evacuated over 10,000 people from the slums and low-lying areas. We are conducting health check-ups of all evacuees. They will soon be allowed to go home," Mr Kakani said, adding that the situation is slowly getting to normal. The agencies have been put on high-alert since the city may receive some rain in the evening and late at night, he said. Coronavirus patients have also been shifted from the quarantine centre put up in the BKC ground. "As a safety measure, we have evacuated 240 people from the BKC quarantine centre. If they feel comfortable in the new place, they will continue to remain there. New patients will be admitted to the BKC quarantine facility since the establishment is in good condition," Mr Kakani said. Those evacuated from the low-lying areas will also be screened for symptoms of coronavirus. "In case, they have developed some symptoms, we will conduct RT-PCR tests. They will be allowed to go home once their test results are in," he said.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation begins clearing roads and removing fallen trees as Cyclone Nisarga passes through.
Urging people in coastal areas to remain indoors, NCP MP from Raigad Sunil Tatkare on Wednesday said the threat posed by cyclonic storm Nisarga has still not abated and it may intensify in the evening, reported PTI. Mr Tatkare also asked people to follow instructions issued by the state government about the cyclone, which made landfall in the Raigad district earlier today. "The threat is still not over. The cyclone may intensify after evening. Hence, people should stay safe inside homes. They should not step out for any reason," he tweeted. The impact of the cyclone was witnessed in Raigad and Ratnagiri districts and instances of trees falling and roofs flying off structures were also reported, he said. The NCP leader further noted that the cyclone had hit Pen, Indapur, Mangaon, Roha, Kolad, Murud, Alibaug, Shrivardhan and Ratnagiri.
Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar on Wednesday inspected the Girgaon beach in south Mumbai before heading for Versova in the suburbs after Cyclone Nisarga passed through the city, reported ANI.
Talking to ANI, Ms Pednekar said that people living near the sea have been evacuated. "Our fire services, lifeguards and other disaster management teams are on standby. People living near the sea have been evacuated," she said.
Severe cyclonic storm Nisarga - the second to strike India in two weeks - made landfall on the Maharashtra coast near Alibaugh at around 1 pm. The storm is expected to weaken into a cyclone in a few hours. With wind speeds slowing down, coronavirus-hit Mumbai may have escaped the worst of the cyclone. No damage has been reported from the city where movement of people is restricted in public places like beaches, parks and promenades along the coastline till tomorrow afternoon. Flight operations have been suspended at the city's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport till 7 pm. Besides Maharashtra, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli were put on high alert where some parts fall on the path of the cyclone that developed over a low pressure area over the Arabian Sea.
No untoward incident has been reported in southern coast of Gujarat so far due to the severe cyclonic storm Nisarga, which made landfall in neighbouring Maharashtra, a senior official said, reported PTI. 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. The cyclone made landfall near Alibaug in coastal Raigad district of Maharashtra around 12:30 pm.
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal at the Disaster Control Room set up inside the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Headquarters to review preparedness for Cyclone Nisarga.
Indian Coast Guard Region (West) has mobilised eight disaster relief teams in Maharashtra on Wednesday to respond to any humanitarian assistance and disaster relief due to cyclone Nisarga, reported ANI.
The teams have been stationed at the coastal areas of Dahanu, Mumbai, Murud, Janjira, and Ratnagiri, said Coastal Guard PRO (Public Relations Officer). Similar teams are at standby in Goa, Karnataka and Kerala, he added. Cyclone Nisarga made landfall at the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts earlier today and is expected to subside by Thursday morning.
Cyclone Nisarga: Flight operations stopped at Mumbai airport till 7 pm after cyclone hits Maharashtra coast.