Mumbaikars Wake Up to First Spell of Pre-monsoon Rain as Cyclone Nisarga Set to Cross Maha in 48 Hrs

Mumbai: Residents of Mumbai and its neighbouring regions woke up to a spell of rain as a low pressure area developed into a depression in the Arabian sea and is set to intensify into a cyclonic story by June 3.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that 'Cyclone Nisarga' will cross north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts between Harihareshwar (Raigad, Maharashtra) and Daman on Wednesday.

The department has a red-colour coded warning to coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat for June 4. While an orange alert warning has been issued for Mumbai and Thane, red alert has been issued in Palghar.

Excited to receive the first spell of pre-monsoon rains, Mumbaikars took to Twitter:

Fishermen who have ventured into the Arabian Sea along the north and south Gujarat coasts have been advised to return by Sunday and not go out till June 4.

The Ahmedabad meteorological centre of IMD also advised hoisting of "distant cautionary (DC)-1" storm warning signals at all ports on north and south Gujarat coasts, as the sea condition was very likely to be "rough to very rough," with wind speed reaching 90-100 kilometre per hour gusting to 110 kilometre per hour by June 4.

"Fishermen out at sea are advised to return to coasts by May 31. They are advised not to venture along and off south Gujarat coast on June 2, and along and off north and south Gujarat coast on June 3-4," it added.

On June 2, wind speed is likely to reach 40-50 kilometre per hour gusting to 60 kilometre per hour over south Gujarat coast, with sea conditions very likely to be "rough to very rough".

On June 3-4, squally wind speed is likely to reach 90-100 kilometre per hour gusting 110 kilometre per hour over Gujarat coasts, and the sea condition is very likely to be high to very high, it said.

Fishermen are also advised not to venture into west central Arabian sea along and off south Oman and Yemen coasts during the next 24 hours due to depression over south coastal Oman and adjoining Yemen, the IMD said.