'Nisarga' cyclonic storm to make landfall on Wednesday, NDRF deployed in Gujarat, Maharashtra

Fifteen NDRF teams have been deployed while four are en route to coastal districts of Maharashtra as deep depression over the Arabia sea intensified into Nisarga cyclonic storm on Tuesday. 

While the most number of teams (4) have been deployed in Raigad district, two are en route. Three teams have been deployed in Mumbai, two in Palghar, two in Thane (one en route), two in Ratnagiri (one en route), one in Sindhudurg while one NDRF team is on its way to Navi Mumbai.

Each NDRF team has a strength of about 45 personnel and each unit is equipped with tree and pole cutters, communication gadgets, inflatable boats and a small basic medical unit.

Cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' is expected to hit Gujarat and Maharashtra on Wednesday.

NDRF Director General (DG) SN Pradhan said neighbouring Gujarat will have a total of 17 NDRF teams, including two on standby. 

"Although this is not an extremely severe cyclone, all precautions are being taken with the basic principle in mind that while we expect the best, we must prepare for the worst," he said.

The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued orange alert for Maharashtra and Gujarat in view of the impending cyclonic storm. 

In its 2:30 pm bulletin, IMD said the "Deep Depression" over Eastcentral Arabian Sea moved northwards with a speed of 11 kmph during past 06 hours, intensified into Cyclonic Storm NISARGA' and lay centred at 11:30 am about 280 km west-northwest of Panjim (Goa), 430 km south-southwest of Mumbai (Maharashtra) and 640 km south-southwest of Surat (Gujarat). 

"It is very likely to intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to move nearly northwards during next few hours, recurve north-northeastwards thereafter and cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar and Daman, close to Alibag (Raigad District, Maharashtra) during the afternoon of 03rd June as a Severe Cyclonic Storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph," the Met Department said. 

The weatherman has also issued rainfall warning for various places in Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Coastal Karnataka. 

For the next 24 hours, IMD warned of light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over Konkan and Goa. Its forecast said light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places with isolated heavy falls very likely over coastal Karnataka, Madhya Maharashtra and Marathwada during next 24 hours. 

Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and extremely heavy falls (20 cm in 24 hours) at isolated places very likely over north Konkan (Mumbai, Palgar, Thane, Raigad districts) and north Madhya Maharashtra on June 3, the IMD said.

It also predicted light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places over south Konkan (Ratnagiri & Sindhudurg districts) & Goa and south Gujarat region (Valsad, Naysari, Dang, Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Surat districts) on June 3.