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- Severe Cyclonic Storm Nisarga was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Indian state of Maharashtra in the month of June since 1891.
- It was also the first cyclone impact to Mumbai since Cyclone Phyan of 2009.
- Nisarga originated as a depression in the Arabian Sea and moved generally northward.
AIR WAS BETTER DUE TO LOCKDOWN AS WELL
- AQI levels were down before the cyclone as well due to the lockdown. “We were already observing better air due to the lockdown, and the cyclone’s influence has helped bring the pollutants down this low,” he said.
FIGURES OF AQI
- Mumbai saw an air quality index (AQI) of 17 on Thursday evening, the lowest figure in 2020, reflecting the cleanest air since July last year.
- Pune saw a one-year low at an AQI of 23, as per data from the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR).
HOW DID THE AIR CLEAN UP?
- The two factors helping the air clear out were the rain and high wind speed, said Gufran Beig, programme director at SAFAR. “The rain helped wash away the pollutants, while the wind cleaned the air,” he said.