IMD upgrades yellow alert to red ahead of cyclone warning

Shiv Kumar

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Tribune News Service

Mumbai, June 1

The Maharashtra government has begun preparations to evacuate people living in the coastal areas of Palghar district where Cyclone ‘Nisarga’ is expected to make landfall on Wednesday evening.

“Fisherfolk living in the coastal areas have been asked not to venture into the sea. They have been asked to moor their boats inland in order to prevent them from being washed away. The administration has already prepared a list of people to be evacuated from low-lying areas,” said Kiran Mahajan, Deputy Collector, Palghar district.

According to him, the administration is making arrangements for turning public buildings and schools into relief camps should the cyclone make landfall in the area.

Some Covid-19 quarantine centres located in low-lying areas were also in the process of being moved to higher ground, the officials said.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a cyclone alert across Harihareshwar in Maharashtra’s Raigad district to the Union Territory of Daman.

Palghar lies somewhere in between this wide arc.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is monitoring the progress of the cyclone, has asked officials to ensure that fishermen do not venture out into the seas.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has moved nine teams in Maharashtra — three in Mumbai, two in Palghar and one each in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.

The IMD, which had earlier issued a yellow alert, upgraded it to a red alert this afternoon, according to the officials here.

As a result, district officials are expected to begin evacuation of people living in low-lying areas and arrange for relief works, officials here said.

Weather bureau officials in Mumbai indicated that gusty winds of up to 125 kmph speeds may be expected to cause trees to be uprooted and the collapse of weak buildings.

Mumbai and surrounding areas experienced rains early this morning which ceased later in the day. However, the skies remained overcast, met officials said.