Maharashtra Minister of Environment and Tourism Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday morning had a detailed review of the preparations to handle the Cyclone Nisarga which is to hit the west coast of the state on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Maharashtra is also the worst-hit state in the country by the novel coronavirus pandemic as more than 70,000 COVID-19 cases have been registered so far. Thackeray said, "While we fight COVID, we are prepping ourselves to also deal with cyclone."
Taking to Twitter, Aaditya Thackeray said, "This morning, I had a detailed review of the preparations to handle the incoming #CycloneNisarga with the Municipal Commissioner of Mumbai Chahal ji and all the AMCs, DMCs and ACs for all wards. While we fight covid, we are prepping ourselves to also deal with cyclone."
"My colleague & guardian minister of Mumbai city @AslamShaikh_MLA ji also has been taking updates and reviews as we prep for this. We have to safeguard our citizens and the city at large. All the wards have begun the pre cyclone preps," he added.
Aaditya also informed that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has also held review meets. "All necessary agencies are on stand by to meet emergencies during the #CycloneNisarga and we are reviewing the situation and preps constantly," he said.
"I request all citizens to follow the instructions of all the local authorities strictly as we prepare for the landfall of the cyclone. More Dos and Donts shall be officially released, locally," Aaditya further said.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that the tropical storm Nisarga, which is heading towards Gujarat and Maharashtra, is likely to intensify into a "severe cyclonic storm" in the next 24 hours and is expected to make landfall close to Mumbai tomorrow (Wednesday).
Also, 15 teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Maharashtra in wake of the Cyclone — 3 teams in Mumbai, 4 teams in Raigad, 2 teams each in Palghar, Thane and Ratnagiri and 1 each in Sindhudurg and Navi Mumbai.
(With ANI inputs)
