Gusty winds and rains lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas overnight and on Monday morning as the “extremely severe cyclonic storm” Tauktae was heading towards Gujarat, officials said.
Against the backdrop of the cyclone on the west coast of the state, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar visited the Emergency Management and Control Room of the Mantralaya this morning and took stock of the situation, rescue and relief work in the state.
The Deputy Chief Minister also called the District Collectors of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Thane, Palghar, Mumbai and Mumbai Suburban Districts as well as the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner and inquired about the preparations for rescue and relief work.
He also directed the district collectors to remain vigilant in the wake of the storm. At present, Pawar is sitting in the control room and is in touch with the concerned district collectors and is personally monitoring the storm situation in the state.
Meanwhile, according to the BMC, the island city received 8.37 mm rainfall between Sunday 11 pm and Monday 7 am, while the eastern and western suburbs received 6.53 mm and 3.92 mm downpour, respectively, during the same period.
Light spells of rain continued since 7 am on Monday, a BMC spokesperson said, adding that there was water-logging at a few places in the city.
The civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking has deployed officers of its transport and power wings at various locations, including control rooms for disaster management.
On Sunday, the IMD issued an orange alert for Mumbai, predicting heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places with strong winds on Monday.
According to civic officials, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Navy were on alert as Cyclone Tauktae intensified to a very severe cyclonic storm and was passing close to Mumbai.
Six flood rescue teams of the Mumbai fire brigade were deployed at chowpatties and five temporary shelters each were kept ready in 24 civic wards of the city to shift citizens there if required, they said.
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