Mumbai | June 2, 2020 14.00 hrs

Indian Meteorological Department has said that the Deep Depression over Arabian Sea is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm this afternoon and further into a severe cyclonic storm later tonight.  Cyclone Nisarga is likely to cross Alibag on June 3^rd afternoon, with sustained wind speed of 100 -110 kmph.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 10 teams at various places in Maharashtra.  Anupam Srivastava, Commander, NDRF at Pune said 3 teams have been deployed in Mumbai, 2 each in Raigad and Palghar and 1 each in Thane, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.  NDRF teams have surveyed the region and have been conducting briefing for the people to explain the damage likely to be caused by the cyclone.

Indian Coast Guard ships, aircraft and on shore stations are continuously relaying warnings about impending adverse weather to merchant vessels and fishermen.  Meanwhile fishing vessels have begun to return to the shore.

District authorities are surveying the villages and people living in kuchcha houses will be evacuated to safer places.  In Mumbai, the municipal authorities have drawn up plans to deal with water logging following heavy rainfall.  BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has kept its disaster management control room on high alert.  Officials from all 24 wards in Mumbai have been asked to identify potentially hazardous and low lying settlements and evacuate people to nearby safer places.

As a precautionary measure, state authorities have decided to shift nearly 150 asymptomatic Covid patients from the make-shift set up in BKC area to a facility in Worli, which has a covered rooftop.

As per IMD bulletin of 11.30 a.m.,  Cyclone Nisarga lay as a depression 280 kms off Goa. Though the intensity of Nisarga is not likely to be as strong as Cyclone Amphan, which devastated coastal Odisha, West Bengal and Bangladesh, IMD has issued warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions.  Coastal authorities in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala are on alert to deal with the situation.

Yesterday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a high level meeting with officials of National Disaster Management Authority, NDRF, IMD and Indian Coast Guard on preparedness for dealing with the Cyclone brewing in the Arabian Sea. Later on Shri Shah also held a video-link meeting with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.

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MD/PIB Mumbai

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