Amid lashing of tall tidal waves and strong gusty winds, the Nisarga cyclone made its entry around Wednesday noon from the Raigad district along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra.
Thereafter, it headed towards Pune, the cultural capital of the state and then the Nashik district, the pilgrimage hub. The landfall was south of Alibaug, the district headquarters of Raigad district. However, Mumbai was spared of the cyclone fury.
One person died in the Raigad district when electric wires snapped and the pole came crashing down. More than 13,000 people living in kutccha houses and weak structures were evacuated to safety, according to Raigad collector Nidhi Choudhary and superintendent of police Anil Paraskar.
"We appeal to people not to step out till damage assessment is done," said Choudhary. In the state, more than 40,000 people were evacuated to safety.
In Mumbai, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray took a comprehensive review of the situation. The entire Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) comprising Mumbai and neighboring districts of Thane, Palghar and Raigad districts experienced rains and strong winds.
According the IMD, cyclone Nisarga made a landfall in Raigad and currently the formation lay 75 kms south-east Mumbai and 65 kms west of Pune. "Cyclone Nisarga landed
& causing damage inland even in Chinchwad, Pune," NDRF director general Satya Prakash Pradhan said.
THe coastal districts of Maharashtra bore the brunt of rough weather condition experiencing strong winds, heavy rainfall and raging sea surge.
Tidal waves measuring upto 6-8 feet lashed parts of coastal areas in Ratnagiri and Raigad districts. Tin roofs erected on the terraces of residential apartments flew away in some places in Raigad and Palghar districts.
Alibaug, Shrivardhan and Murud witnessed windspeeds of 120-130 kmph.
Power utilities had shut down electricity supply in some parts of Ratnagiri district as a preventive measure. Mobile services were affected in parts of Raigad district. Alibaug recorded a rainfall of 45 mm and Ratnagiri 38 mm, till 4 pm.
NDRF Commander Anupam Srivastava said a number of trees have fallen in Roha, Revdanda and Srivardhan areas.
He said there have been tree falling incidents on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway too, but the traffic flow was not affected.