Cyclone Okchi: Hailstorm near Mumbai, schools colleges shut today
Mumbai rains
On Monday, warnings of Ockhi to hit Maharashtra and South Gujarat in next 24 hours, were issued by?Indian Metrological Department(IMD)
Schools and colleges will remain shut in Mumbai metropolitan region, Sindhudurga, Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts due to cyclone Ockhi warnings.
Maharashtra's Education and Sports minister Vinod Tawde announced the news on Twitter
Areas near the metropolis and the Mumbai-Pune highway witnessed a hailstorm today.
The traffic on Eastern and Western Express Highways in Mumbai has slowed down after rain in some parts of Mumbai throughout last night.
A high tide alert hasbeen issued for Tuesday and the disaster management unit of Brihanmumbai MunicipalCorporation (BMC) also advised not to visit beaches.
As per the BMC, tides of more than 5 meters height are expected on Tuesday.
People residing in the area of Dadar Chowpatty have been given special instructions to avoid the beach area as ahugecrowd is expected ahead of the Babasaheb Ambedkar Anniversary on November 6.
The weather department has forecast intermittent rains in Mumbai and suburbs in the next 24 hours.
"Intermittent rain/thundershowers very likely to occur in Mumbai and suburbs in next 24 hours," a report of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai stated at 8 am.
"Heavy rainfall is likely at a few places with squally wind speed reaching 50 to 60 km per hour gusting to 70 km per hour very likely along coastal area in next 24 hours."
The Central Railway Mumbai division hasupdated all the emergency numbers and has also have opened an emergency cell at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kalyan. (Also read:Cyclone Ockhi,357 fishermen rescued so far, says defence minister)
250 railways police force and Maharashtra State Security Force Personnel on crowd management and other related activities, have also been deployed at stations by Central Railway Mumbai Division.
Cyclone Okchi, which originated from Kanyakumari has so far wreaked havoc in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Lakshwadeep, Goaand Sri Lanka.
On Monday, a warning of OckhihittingMaharashtra and South Gujarat in the next 24 hours, were issued by the Indian Metrological Department (IMD). (Also read : Cyclone Ockhi,Indian Navy finds 9 Kochi fishermen missing for 15 days)
Thane and Navi Mumbai were lashed by heavy rains on Monday night.
According to reports, 19 people have been killed and several are still missing in the sea.
(With inputs from news agencies)