Mumbai to shut down as cyclone Phyan approaches
| November 11th, 2009 | By: Piyush Goyal | Category: Featured
Mumbai: All Mumbai schools, colleges and offices have been ordered to shutdown after 2 pm on Tuesday in view of the approaching Cyclone Phyan. The cyclone or the deep depression zone over Arabian Sea is now moving towards the western coast posing threat to Mumbai, Gujarat, Goa and Karnataka.
The Phyan is still 250 km away from south-southwest of Mumbai and 500 km away from south-southwest of Surat, as per Met Dept.
Maharashtra government has called an emergency meet headed by state chief secretary to discuss the situation.
Several flights to Mumbai have been delayed by 30-40 minutes in Mumbai due to bad weather.
Erratic but heavy rains have been reported from Sindhudurg, Jalgaon and Ratnagiri.
As per Met dept, the system is likely to intensify further and move north-northeastwards and cross south Gujarat and north Maharashtra coast between Alibagh and Valsad by today. The next update is due at 14:30 hrs today.
The cyclone is said to be of moderate level of 6. The highest level is 9. The Met department has issued the orange alert which is one level less than the red alert.
The Meteorological Department has already put the Navy, the Coast Guard and the BMC on high alert.
As per Met Dept sources the state of Gujarat is said to be facing the highest risk. A boat is also reported to have sunk near Jafrabad coast.
The Coast Guards has rescued 8 fishermen in Daman using Helicopter. As many as 700 fishermen and 60 boast had left for sea from Daman four days ago.
The approaching cyclone is already forcing changes in the weather. Heavy rain is also expected to lash these parts of the nation as well. Mumbai, Goa and Konkan areas have been receiving heavy rains since yesterday.
The cyclone is still 250 kms away from the coast of Goa but is said to be moving dangerously fast and the next 36 hours are said to pose a greater threat to the western coast.
On Wednesday morning, Phyan was 420 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 670 km south-southwest of Surat in south Gujarat.
The cyclone is expected to reach the coastal area around 3.00 to 4.00 pm today.
Meanwhile, the Arabain Sea is witnessing high tides and the wind speed is said to be around 80-90 km/hour.
Mumbai’s civic authority, the Brihan Mumbai Corporation (BMC) has already asked people to avoid going near the beaches. The authorities have vacated the low lying areas as well.
Mumbai last witnessed a cyclonic storm in the year 1982.
Meanwhile, torrential rains are expected in the northwestern India including Rajasthan, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Tibet and others.
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