Cyclone Nisarga: Celebs ask people to stay safe, share do’s and don’ts

Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Madhuri Dixit and others have urged people to take precautionary measures to safeguard themselves from cyclone Nisarga, which is expected to make landfall close to the city on Wednesday.

Hanging over the Arabian Sea, 190 kilometres from Mumbai, Nisarga is moving at a speed of 11 kilometres per hour and is likely to make landfall at the coastal town Alibaug between 1pm and 4pm, officials said. Already struggling with the raging COVID-19 pandemic, Mumbai will be hit by a cyclone after a gap of 129 years, weather experts said.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a number of guidelines for the people, which includes keeping an emergency kit ready, staying away from windows, disconnecting power supply of all non-emergency equipments.

Akshay uploaded a video on Instagram, explaining the do’s and don’ts listed by the BMC. “Cyclone Nisarga Precautions. The much-awaited Mumbai rains are here but this year we have an uninvited guest, #CycloneNisarga!

“In case it does hit us, here are some precautions shared by @mybmc, we will get through this as well. Praying for everyone’s well-being. For any queries and concerns regarding the cyclone, dial 1916 and press 4,” Akshay said.

Priyanka also took to Instagram and said she is concerned for everyone’s safety, including her mother and brother in the city. “#Cyclone Nisarga is making its way to Mumbai, my beloved home city of more than 20 million people, including my mom and brother. Mumbai hasn’t experienced a serious cyclone landfall since 1891, and at a time when the world is so desperate, this could be especially devastating.

“This year feels relentless. Please everyone find cover, take precautions and follow the guidelines outlined. Please stay safe everyone,” she wrote.

Madhuri shared a picture from her house and wrote it seemed “strangely quiet this morning.” “Perhaps the calm before the storm. As if the pandemic were not enough, Mumbai has a cyclone on the way. Hopefully it will veer out to sea. Either way, Mumbaikars are tough and we will get through it together,” she said.

Alia and Deepika Padukone posted the list of BMC guidelines on their respective Instagram stories. Actor Shilpa Shetty asked people to “stay indoors, stay secure.”

“With #CycloneNisarga expected to hit Maharashtra and nearby regions in a few hours, please be mindful of these DOs & DONTs shared by @mybmc. Please call 1916 and press 4 for any cyclone-related query or concern. Praying for our safety,” she wrote.

Actor Vicky Kaushal uploaded his picture and wrote that he is hoping the first showers to “only bring relief and joy and not too much drama”.

Lunchbox actor Nimrat Kaur said during such an emergency situation, it is important to look out for those who need a shelter. “Please stay in and stay safe today Mumbai. Let’s work with all the great work being put in by the authorities, @mybmc and @NDRFHQ by being responsible for ourselves and any animals or people lesser fortunate than us looking for any help and shelter,” she wrote.