Cyclone ‘Nisarga’ will make landfall along northern Maharashtra coast, south of Alibagh, on Wednesday afternoon with high wind speed ranging up to 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, IMD said.

The storm is likely to impact Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts of Maharashtra like Raigad and Palghar along with Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Bhavnagar and Bharuch districts of Gujarat and Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Professor of atmospheric science at Columbia University Adam Sobel told the BBC Mumbai hasn’t “experienced a serious cyclone landfall since 1891”.

Maharashtra helplines: 022-22027990, 22794229

BMC helpline: Dial 1916 and press 4 in case of emergency

Here are the live updates:

10.46 am: Cyclone now 165 km south of Mumbai

As of 9.30 am, the cyclone lay 115km south-southwest of Alibag and 165 km south-southwest of Mumbai. It is 395 Kim south-southwest of Surat in Gujarat.

The cyclone has been moving at a speed of 14 kmph for the past six hours, according to the IMD.

10.38 am: List of special trains diverted by Central Railways

The Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation said: “As per IMD, there’s possibility of ‘nature’ cyclones/strong winds with rains in BMC area. So, structured inspection of COVID-19 Health Centers set up temporarily at various places in BMC area should be done again by concerned contractors,” ANI quoted.

9.52 am: Nisarg likely to cross Alibag between 1-3pm, IMD says

The severe cyclonic storm Nisarg is likely cross south of Alibag between 1pm to 3pm, said Shubhangi Bhute, scientist at IMD Mumbai, according to ANI.

9.36 am: Cyclone Nisarga now 175 km south-southwest of Mumbai

Cyclone Nisarga was 130 km south-southwest of Alibagh and 175 km south-southwest of Mumbai as of 8.30 am with intensity near its centre at 100-110 mph gusting to 120 kmph.

In Alibag, a storm surge of 0.5-1.5 metres is expected with inundation upto 1.4 km.

Thane and Vasai have also been warned of storm surge between 0.5-1.1 metres and 0.5-0.6 metres respectively.

9.15 am: Hospitals prepare for cyclone impact

Backup generators have been arranged for KEM, Sion, Nair and Cooper hospitals in Mumbai, Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani told Times of India. The hospitals also have doctors and beds on standby.

Another report by the daily said the city’s power supply could be hit during the cyclone as power lines in the Kalyan-Dombivli region are in the open.

9.03 am: Section 144 imposed in Mumbai

Prohibitory orders have been issued under Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), in view of cyclonic conditions in the city to ensure that there is no danger to human life, health or safety, the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Greater Mumbai, said.

8.57 am: Rainfall reported in Mumbai and Goa till Wednesday morning

According to Skymet, rainfall reported between 8.30am on Tuesday and 6.30am on Wednesday was— Goa-74 mm, Ratnagiri-20 mm, Harnai-13 mm, Colaba-37, Santacruz-21 and Dahanu-04 mm.

8.45 am: Covid-19 patients at BKC isolation centre shifted

All the Covid-19 patients at the jumbo isolation centre in Mumbai’s BKC have been shifted to the Covid centre at National Sports Club of India in Worli ahead of the cyclone’s landfall, the Mumbai Mirror reported. 242 patients were moved in the process.

An official told the daily that the patients will be brought back once the cyclone’s threat passes.

8.15 am: IMD issues heavy rain warnings for Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palhgar

IMD’s update at 8 am said Cyclone Nisarga lay 140 km south-southwest of Alibagh, 190 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 415 km south-southwest of Surat as of 6.30 am on Wednesday.

It is expected to move northeastward and cross the Maharashtra court, close to south of Alibag in the afternoon.

Do’s and don’ts for people in Mumbai

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday asked people to stay alert and shared a list of `do’s and dont’s’ in the situation.

“The cyclone could be more severe than the ones the state has faced till now….Tomorrow and the day after are crucial in coastal areas,” he said.

“Activities which had resumed (as part of easing of lockdown to contain coronavirus) will be kept shut there for the next two days in view of the cyclone…people should remain alert, Thackeray said.

Mumbai flights cancelled and trains rescheduled

MMRDA on Tuesday said that nearly 150 patients at its COVID facility in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) were shifted to another location as a precaution.

“The impending threat of Nisarga Cyclone is upon Mumbai. Although the COVID-19 hospital can sustain strong winds of up to 80-100 km per hour, however, with human lives at stake, as a precautionary measure, all the patients (about 150) from the hospital are being shifted by BMC,” the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said in a tweet.

The MMRDA had set up a 1,008-bed facility, where nearly 150 patients are taking treatment. It is also setting up another 1,000-bed Covid hospital at BKC.

“MMRDA is taking extra measures like more strengthening of pillars with sand bags, doing bracing of structure of Covid facility at BKC, switching of electricity, AC and oxygen facility during cyclone to prevent fire incidents. All project sites are also being protected,” it said.

Koliwadas in Raigad evacuated

The district collector and superintendent of police said on Tuesday they visited villages situated along the coastlines of Alibaug, Murud, Shrivardhan, Mhasala and Nagaon Revas areas, which are likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm.

“We have evacuated more than 3,500 people from koliwadas (fishermen colonies) and temporary houses to safer structures like schools, community halls and government buildings,” superintendent of police Raigad, Anil Paraskar said.

The police have also requested people to stay indoors and not venture out near the coast, he said, adding that people have been assured of all possible help from the authorities during this time.

Private and public sector establishments including RCF, GAIL and JSW have also been asked to take precautions, the official said.

Gujarat prepares

IMD predicted Cyclone Nisarga would l turn into a “severe cyclonic storm” by Wednesday afternoon and bringing gusty winds with heavy rains in south Gujarat. The state government on Tuesday began evacuating over 78,000 people from four districts located near the coastline and deployed 19 teams of NDRF and SDRF.

“A total of 78,971 persons living near the seashore in Valsad, Surat, Navsari and Bharuch districts will be shifted to safer locations. 1,727 villagers have already been shifted,” Gujarat Relief Commissioner Harshad Patel told reporters in Gandhinagar on Tuesday.

140 buildings have been identified as temporary shelters for evacuees in these four districts.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday indicated that the cyclonic storm might not make a landfall on the Gujarat coast.

“However, it will bring gusty winds coupled with heavy rainfall in the coastal belt,” state MeT centre director Jayanta Sarkar said.

(With PTI inputs)