Families along Alibag shore had no idea about cyclone

On early Wednesday morning Bhim Rao, 25, and his wife, both Alibag residents who live less than 200 metres from the shoreline, looked surprised and confused when

On early Wednesday morning Bhim Rao, 25, and his wife, both Alibag residents who live less than 200 metres from the shoreline, looked surprised and confused when they heard that nearby villages were being evacuated due to an approaching cyclone.

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Rao said he had heard about the cyclone on television but had no clue that it was heading straight for Alibag. “No announcement, warning or information has been shared with us so far,” he said.

Same was the case with Rao’s neighbours Keshav Meyar, 28, and his six other family members as well as Brijesh Sharma, 46, and his wife. When HT approached them, all three families were busy discussing the impact of Covid-19 on early Wednesday morning blissfully unaware of cyclone Nisarga’s landfall near Alibag.

The three families live at a secluded section of Varsoli Beach in Alibag, which is less than 2 km from the Raigad district administration office. “We have no clue where we have to go now in order to ensure we are safe from the cyclone,” said Sharma.