Mumbai Spared Cyclone Nisarga's Fury

With cyclone Nisarga making its landfall in Raigad district on Wednesday afternoon, Mumbai would be spared the fury of the cyclonic storm according to India Meteorology Department (IMD) officials. The process of landfall in Raigad district of Maharashtra is underway and is likely to continue till about 4 pm. Windspeeds picked up as cyclone Nisarga began to make landfall and temporary roofs in Alibag, Ratnagiri and elsewhere were blown away. Several trees were also uprooted in these areas.

With cyclone Nisarga sparing the city of Mumbai, citizens of the maximum city heaved a sigh of relief through rough winds and rain are expected to batter the city for the next few hours. For at least the next six to seven hours, Mumbai would face strong winds and heavy rainfall, but not the sort of extensive damage that was feared would come the way of the Maximum City. However, heavy rains tend to cause flooding and occasionally lead to the collapse of old structures in the city.

43 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are said to have been deployed in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Director-General of NDRF has advised people to stay indoors for the next 6 to 7 hours. The NDRF has already evacuated one lakh people living in vulnerable areas.

The Brihanmumbai Corporation (BMC) has asked the fire brigade to stay on alert while at the same time urging people not to venture outdoors. More than 30 schools have been turned by the BMC into temporary shelters. Even as the city begins to experience some relief, the BMC is prepared to face any damage that rainfall could cause.