Cyclonic Storm Nisarga Developing in Arabian Sea, Red Alert Issued in Gujarat & Maharashtra
In the Arabian Sea, this cyclonic storm is moving towards the west coast. The low-pressure area in the Arabian Sea and the adjoining areas including Mumbai have been stirred with cyclonic storms. The Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain in Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Ratnagiri including Mumbai.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Sunday issued a pre-cyclone watch for north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts with a low-pressure area persisting over the southeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep islands. “It is expected to turn into a cyclonic storm by Tuesday. We are monitoring whether this will be as intense as Cyclone Amphan and are in touch with the concerned state governments,” Mrutunjay Mohapatra, director general of IMD, said.
Earlier this morning Sunita Devi in charge of cyclones at IMD said, “A low pressure area has formed over southeast and adjoining east central Arabian sea and Lakshadweep area. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours.”
A district-wise forecast, issued by the IMD, has put Palghar on “red alert” with the possibility of extremely heavy rain at isolated places for June 3 and 4. “Orange alert” warning has been issued for heavy rains in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad with the possibility of heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places. According to IMD, Mumbai, the three areas are likely to receive rain/ thundershowers on June 1 and 2.
Light to moderate rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy showers are very likely over Lakshadweep area, Kerala and coastal Karnataka on May 31 and June 1 under the influence of the storm, an IMD bulletin states. Heavy and extremely heavy rainfall is likely over south Gujarat, north Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra, Daman, Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli on June 3 and 4, it adds.
Low pressure field and stress are the first two levels on the eight-grade scale of IMD, which are used to classify cyclones based on their intensity. The weather bureau said that sea conditions would be very bad and fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea by 4 June.
Heavy rains are expected in south coastal Maharashtra from June 2 to 4, heavy rainfall is expected on the north coast on June 2-3 and in Gujarat, Daman and Diu and Dadar and Nagar Haveli from June 3-5. IMD said that due to the impact of a low pressure area on the Arabian Sea, conditions will be favorable for the onset of monsoon in Kerala from June 1.
The arrival date of monsoon in Kerala is around 1 June every year and in Maharashtra around 10 June. A private forecasting agency had claimed on Saturday that the monsoon had already hit Kerala, but the Ministry of Earth Sciences had reiterated its assertions again by insistence. The secretary of the ministry said, ‘The news about the onset of monsoon on Kerala in social media is not correct. Monsoon has not arrived in Kerala. Stephen Hawking has said that the greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the illusion of having knowledge.’