NDRF deploys 9 teams in Maharashtra amid cyclonic warning

File Photo (Twitter/@NDRFHQ)

New Delhi: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Monday (June 1, 2020) deployed 9 teams to Maharashtra in view of the development of the cyclone in the Arabian sea.

3 teams have been deployed in Mumbai, 2 in Palghar, 1 each in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. 

NDRF is also in touch with the IMD authorities, the R&R department of Maharashtra government, and district administration.

NDRF teams are carrying out surveys in coastal areas of these districts along with local authorities. The cyclone comes with a unique challenge, wherein it is happening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, so the NDRF teams have been briefed, trained, and equipped to deal with the double disaster.

Presently, several teams of NDRF are also working in the restoration work in West Bengal after cyclone Amphan's havoc.

Earlier on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the well-marked low-pressure area over the south-east and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area concentrated into a depression on Monday morning.

According to IMD, the depression is located about 370 km southwest of Panjim; 690 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 920 km south-south-west of Surat.

It is expected that the depression would intensify into a deep depression over the next 12 hours and into severe cyclonic storm Nisarga by Wednesday (June 3).

The IMD predicted that initially Nisarga would move towards northwards till Tuesday morning and then recurve north-northeast wards and cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar (Raigad, Maharashtra) and the union territory of Daman on Wednesday evening. When it crosses the coast as a severe cyclonic storm it will have a wind speed of 105 to 115 km per hour (kmph) which may increase to 125 kmph. Konkan, Goa, parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat are expected to receive very heavy to extremely heavy rain till Thursday.

Fishermen are also advised not to venture into the southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep area and along off Kerala coast during next 48 hours; the east-central Arabian Sea and along & off  Karnataka-Goa coasts till June 3; the east-central Arabian Sea along & off Maharashtra coast and the northeast Arabian Sea along & off Gujarat coast during 3rd – 4th June.