Cyclone Nisarga moving along predicted path, says NDRF DG SN Pradhan

Cyclone Nisarga is moving along the predicted path and is expected to make landfall between 2 pm and 4:30 pm on Wednesday around Alibaug in Maharashtra, NDRF chief S N Pradhan said.

Follow live updates on Cyclone Nisarga here

The Director General (DG) of the federal contingency force said a total of 43 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are deployed in the two states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

"The cyclone is expected to make landfall between 2 pm and 4:30 pm somewhere a little south of Alibaug in Raigad district," he said.

"It is moving along the predicted path as stated by the IMD and in southern parts of Maharashtra the signs of cyclone building up are evident," Pradhan said in a video message update on the cyclone.

In Ratnagiri, winds and rains have picked up, the DG said.

The evacuation work is nearly complete, he said, adding, precautionary measures are being taken and people in cyclone shelters are being taught life skills with social distancing.

All preparations have been done by central and state agencies and coordination is of a high order, Pradhan said.

"Let us hope we ride through the cyclone and safely negotiate it," he said.

Cyclone Nisarga comes a week after Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in West Bengal and also affected coastal Odisha