NDRF deploys 9 teams in Maharashtra as cyclone Nisarga gets closer

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Monday deployed nine teams across six districts of Maharastra, including Mumbai as cyclone Nisarga in the Arabian sea got closer to the coast. 

Three teams have been deployed in Mumbai, two in Palghar and one each in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. 

The NDRF said it is in close contact with Maharashtra government, IMD authorities and district administration.

"NDRF teams are carrying out survey in coastal areas of these districts along with local authorities. This Cyclone comes with a unique challenge, wherein it is happening during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In view of this NDRF teams are briefed, trained and equipped to deal with the double disaster.  We have also upgraded our Standard Operating Procedures to respond to the emerging situation," NDRF said. 

NDRF is ready to work alongside the local authorities to face any challenges, it added. 

Earlier, 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 kilometers (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).

IMD's cyclone track showed that cyclone Nisarga will cross very close to the Mumbai coast while entering the land. Maharashtra and Gujarat have been placed on pre-cyclone alert as some parts of these states are forecast to receive very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday.

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over south coastal Maharashtra for June 2-4, on the north coast on June 2-3 and in Gujarat, Daman and Diu and Dadar and Nagar Haveli on June 3-5.