Maharashtra: Trees and poles fall as Cyclone Nisarga makes landfall near Alibaug

NDRF personnel clearing fallen trees from a road in Alibag town of Raigad district following cyclone Nisarga landfall in India's western coast. - Cyclone Nisarga ripped roofs off homes in a coastal town near Mumbai on May 3 after officials ordered offices and factories to shut and told people to stay home, reversing a move to ease a coronavirus lockdown in the Indian megacity. Mumbai and its surrounds are usually sheltered from cyclones -- the last severe storm to hit the city was in 1948 -- but authorities have evacuated at least 100,000 people from flood-prone areas in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. (Photo by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) / AFP)

Cyclone 'Nisarga' has made landfall near Alibaug on Maharashtra coast with the wind speed of more than 110 kms per hour and heavy rainfall, leading to falling of many trees and electricity poles, a Raigad district official said.

The cyclone hit areas near Dive Agar in Shrivardhan, 87 kms away from Raigad, district collector Nidhi Choudhary said.

"Due to the impact of the gusting winds, many trees and electric poles fell down in Shrivardhan as well as in Alibaug," the collector said.

Follow DH's live coverage of the Cyclone Nisarga here

She said 13,541 people have been shifted to safer places so far.

"We have identified 62 villages in the radius of five kilometres near the coastline (in Raigad) and are taking extra precautions there," the collector said.

She appealed to people to stay indoors until Thursday morning for their own safety.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process started around 12.30 pm near Alibaug, 95 kms from Mumbai.

"The right side of the wall cloud passes through coastal region of Maharashtra, mainly the Raigad district. It will gradually enter into Mumbai and Thane districts during the next three hours," the IMD said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the collector said the fallen trees and electricity supply poles will be removed in the next few days and replaced with new poles.

"Not only the coastal areas in Raigad, but residents of towns like Roha, Tala, Sudhagad, Khalapur, Mangaon, Panvel and Poladpur will also have to remain alert," she said.