On Tuesday evening, as Cyclone Nisarga drew closer to Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray addressed the state via video conferencing.
"Live safe and help those in need during cyclone which is expected to strike on June 3 afternoon. Take all precautions," Thackeray said on Tuesday night. He urged people to be prepared to tackle the coming cyclone in the same way that people had responded in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
Chief Minister Thackeray said the administration is taking due precautions, and urged people to cooperate amid the Nisarga cyclone warning. He also urged people to avoid taking shelter in temporary structures, dilapidated buildings and the like. He also urged people to switch off power if necessary, especially in rural areas, and store drinking water.
"We have set up jumbo facilities for COVID patients at BKC. After the cyclone warning patients have been shifted to safer places," he added.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Nisarga is very likely to intensify into a "severe cyclonic storm" over the next 12 hours and cross Maharashtra and South Gujarat coast on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the IMD's deputy director general of meteorology, K S Hosalikar, Cyclone Nisarga is likely to cross north Maharashtra and adjoining south Gujarat coast between Harihareshwar and Daman close to Alibaug in the Raigad district on the afternoon of June 3 "with a max sustained wind 100-110 gusting to 120 kmph".
