More than 4,000 people evacuated from Cyclone Nisarga landfall site Alibaug near Mumbai

Close to 1,00,000 people have been evacuated from the coastal areas of Maharashtra until Wednesday morning.

A total of 4,407 have been relocated from the coastal resort town of Alibaug - around 9 nautical miles or 90 km from Mumbai. Cyclone Nisarga is expected to make landfall just south of Alibaug between 1 pm and 4 pm.

This June 2 satellite image released by NASA shows Cyclone Nisarga roaring toward the western coast of India. (AP Photo)

Nisarga, classified as a severe cyclonic storm, is expected to make landfall with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting upto 120 kmph. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has also warned of storm surges that may result in inundation in low-lying areas along the coastline.

However, a survey of coastal villages showed that many people had still not left their homes despite warning by district authorities. Hindustan Times spoke to residents of three fishing villages - Siddharth Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Alibag Koliwada - who were still at home on Wednesday morning. Police officials was spotted going door-to-door, telling people to evacuate as rain and wind speed intensified marginally around 9.30 am.

“It has been raining since yesterday. We have to complete all our household chores before leaving. We will evacuate soon,” said Kamla Perekar, a fisherwoman from Alibag Koliwada.

Residents have been evacuated from other coastal districts too - as of 10 am on Wednesday, relocation of at least 2,553 people from Shrivardhan, 2,407 from Murud, 1,512 from Uran, 239 from Mhasala, 87 from Pen, and 55 form Panvel has taken place.

“People have been relocated to rest houses, schools, and government buildings for Wednesday and Thursday. They are mostly residents of fishing villages. Everyone will be allowed to return to their homes once we are told that there is no impending danger from the cyclone,” said Manoj Sanap, district information officer of Raigad district, which Alibaug is part of. Sanap added that the district administration had been informed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) that Cyclone Nisarga is likely to make landfall close to Alibaug around 3 pm. “There are seven teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the district including two teams in Alibaug,” he said.

Until Wednesday morning, 20 teams of NDRF were deployed in Maharashtra: eight in Mumbai, five in Raigad, two each in Thane, Palghar and Ratnagiri, and one in Sindhudurg district. Each team has up to 45 jawans equipped with tree and pole cutting machines, communication gadgets, inflatable boats, first-aid kits, basic medicines and a rescuer-Covid kit, which includes a hand-wash, soap, gloves, face masks and face shields. There are more than 40 teams across the western coast, as Gujarat also prepared for the cyclone’s impact.

Close to 1,00,000 people have been evacuated from the coastal areas of Maharashtra until Wednesday morning, state government and the NDRF authorities have said.