Several short circuits, nine wall collapse cases but Mumbai escapes Nisarga fury

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had Tuesday sounded a red alert in Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar as the cyclonic storm, the first to hit the west coast in June in over 70 years, was set to make landfall in Raigad district with wind speeds of 120 kmph Wednesday. The IMD had predicted extremely heavy rain at isolated places.

On Wednesday, the maximum wind speed recorded at landfall — around 12.30 pm — by the Colaba observatory was 49.95 kmph and the Santacruz observatory at 22.2 kmph. Between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, the Colaba observatory recorded 46.7 mm rainfall, while its Santacruz counterpart recorded 22.8 mm rain. While de-watering pumps were also arranged at more than 300 potential waterlogging sites, but no such complaints were reported during the day.

The civic corporation, which had set up temporary shelters at 35 schools, shifted over 40,000 people living near the coast were shifted to safer places before the cyclone hit. A statement issued by the BMC said, “The BMC shifted 10,840 people from near the sea coast and landslide-prone locations to 35 municipal schools where temporary accommodation facilities have been set up. They were provided with food and water.” Following an appeal by the BMC, around 30,000 people had also moved to these temporary accommodations on their own, it added.

The evacuees were also checked for fever and oxygen levels, and those found with suspected Covid-19-like symptoms were later shifted to Covid Care Centre, the statement said.

Eight units of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and five units of Navy were deployed at various locations in the city in the wake of the cyclone. One NDRF team each was stationed at Colaba (Ward A), Worli (G-South), Bandra (H-East), Malad (P-South) & Borivali (R-North) and three teams at Andheri (K-West).

Ninety-three lifeguards (in two shifts) also guarded the six city beaches – Girgaum, Dadar, Juhu, Aksa, Versova, and Gorai. Around 150 flood-rescue members of the Mumbai fire brigade were stationed across 10 fire stations. No drowning incidents were reported from the city.

Earlier, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal also visited shelter homes at Worli and Juhu, pumping station at Irla and Versova, and the Juhu beach to take stock of the preparations.

At Byculla zoo, animals had been shifted into their holding areas. A 20-strong zoo emergency response team were also deputed to tackle any untoward incidences.

The IMD, meanwhile, has predicted a clearer sky and with a possibility of light to moderate rain in Mumbai on Thursday and lowered the alert to ‘green’ level.

Mumbai police spokesperson DCP Pranaya Ashok said the ongoing lockdown had ensured people stayed indoors and did not put themselves at risk during the cyclone. “We had also issued a prohibitory order under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The order was followed and our staff hardly found anyone near the sea,” he said. The city police control room that normally receives around 5,000 calls daily, had received around 2,500 calls till 6 pm on Wednesday. “Of these merely 200 were enquiries regarding the cyclone,” Ashok added.