Maharashtra on high alert as Cyclone Nisarga approaches amid COVID-19

Last updated on February 14th, 2023 at 11:01 am

Maharashtra is already battling with the surge in coronavirus cases and now it’s getting prepared to confront Cyclone Nisarga. The state of Maharashtra has recorded over 40,000 Covid-19 positive cases on Monday. Therefore, the State government has notified authorities to devise steps by which positive patients can be moved to more secure areas.

Cyclone “Nisarga”, which is approaching Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts, is probably going to intensify into a “dangerous cyclonic storm” by tomorrow. It will be the second cyclone to strike India in about fourteen days and the first to hit the financial capital, Mumbai in over a century. Earlier on May 20, Cyclone Amphan was witnessed by West Bengal.

As indicated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), It is probably going to hit the coastline on Wednesday, between Harihareshwar in Raigad region, only south of Mumbai, and Daman, just below Gujarat coast. At that point, it is probably going to advance into a Severe Cyclonic Storm, which, supposedly of 2 on a 1-to-5 strength and wind speeds in the range 95-120 kmph that will emerge from the Indian Ocean.

On Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a video teleconferencing with Home Minister Amit Shah and shared the state’s readiness for the prediction of the cyclone that is relied upon to make landfall on Wednesday in which around 20 million people could get impacted. Severe warnings have been issued to the fishing community, and the Navy to abstain from entering the Arabian Sea.

Palghar district collector Kailash Shinde stated, that announcements near the shoreline via loudspeakers have begun. The power stations will also be alerted in case of an emergency. All beaches will be shut and section 144 will be imposed to prevent any sort of crowd gathering near the shores.”

Some coastal districts of Maharashtra might come directly in the line of its predicted cyclone. Though the precise position of the landfall is not yet ascertained, it is likely to be near to Mumbai city. The neighboring Thane, Sindhudurg, Raigad, and Ratnagiri are on red alert and heavy to extremely heavy precipitation is predicted in these areas.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) chief SN Pradhan stated today, By evening, 15 NDRF teams would be stationed in Gujarat, and two will be on standby. In Maharashtra, ten teams are deployed and six are ready as a backup. The evacuation is in progress and awareness drive has begun.

Article Credit: NDTV/ Hindustan Times/ Indian Express