Nisarga raced in from the Arabian Sea, making landfall near Alibaug, about 100 kilometres from the Maharashtra state capital.
The severe cyclonic storm was travelling at a speed of 20 km/h per hour with gusts of up to 110 km/h.
“The rear part of the wall cloud region is still over the sea and the landfall process will be completed by next one hour,” an Indian Meteorological official told RFI.
FedEx flight FX5033 overshoots Mumbai runway while landing during cyclone Nisarga. No injuries or aircraft damage reported. https://t.co/EEDIyfooNQ pic.twitter.com/iaIbdY4nB6
— Breaking Aviation News (@breakingavnews) June 3, 2020
Authorities worked overtime to move thousands of people from the coast, amid fears that the city, the worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak with over 41,000 cases, could see its healthcare system further weighed down.
Over 100,000 people, including coronavirus patients, have been moved to safer locations.
Residents in the city’s suburbs and neighbouring districts stocked up on food, water and medicine in anticipation of torrential rains and gale-force winds.
“We saw what happened to the eastern city of Kolkata a couple of weeks back. People were without power for days. It is better to be safe than sorry,” Pradeep Madgavkar, an engineer told RFI.
India's largest container port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, on the outskirts of Mumbai, was ordered to shut for 24 hours due to the cyclone, authorities said in a statement. Flight schedules were also disrupted.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to the people of Mumbai to "stay indoors" for two days.
DOs and DONTs for Mumbaikars to take on Cyclone Nisarga.
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) June 2, 2020
Dial 1916 and Press 4 for any cyclone related query or concern.#BMCNisargaUpdates pic.twitter.com/HY9xYVUmLD
“Tomorrow and the day after are crucial in coastal areas. Activities which had resumed as part of easing of lockdown will be kept shut there for the next two days, people should remain alert," he said.
The Indian Navy and teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed along the Maharashtra and Gujarat coasts to conduct rescue and relief operations.A control room has been established by the state government and will be operational round the clock.
Nisarga was expected to move north-eastwards and weaken into a cyclonic storm later on Wednesday.
Cyclone Nisarga comes barely a fortnight after Cyclone Amphan battered the country's eastern coast including Kolkata, and neighbouring Bangladesh, killing more than 100 people and leaving a trail of destruction.
The yearly southwest monsoon is expected later this month.
