Cyclone Nisarga, first storm of 2020 to form in Arabian Sea

An overcast Mumbai sky on Monday. (Express Photo: Nirmal Harindran)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has declared the formation of Cyclone Nisarga around 12 noon on Tuesday.

Cyclone Nisarga is the first cyclonic storm to form in the Arabian Sea, this year. This name was proposed by Bangladesh.

Last month, IMD had released a new list of 169 tropical cyclones which will be used to identify cyclonic storms getting formed in the north Indian Ocean region. Nisarga is the first name from this latest list of tropical cyclones.

Cyclone Nisarga is set to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm before making landfall close to Alibaug between Harihareshwar in Raigad and Daman during the afternoon on June 3. Mumbai, Thane, Palghar have been put on red alert till June 4.

Cyclone Nisarga comes weeks after Super Cyclone Amphan hit West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh. Residents along the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat have been alerted of the storm.