Visual from Kanyakumari as Cyclone Tauktae intensifies. (PTI Photo)
Mumbai: Cyclone Tauktae, pronounced as Tau’Te, is expected to cross the Gujarat Coast between Porbandar and Naliya around May 18 (Monday), the India Meteorological Department (IMD) alerted today as strong winds and heavy rain gushes along the western coast of India. Tauktae will be a “very severe cyclonic storm” between May 16 and May 18, the weather department said on Saturday. Currently, the cyclone is moving with a wind speed of 120 to 130 kmph and it is likely to increase to 140 kmph. Five states – Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra – have been put on high alert due to the impending Cyclone Tauktae.
Here are all the developments so far:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the preparedness of states, central ministries and agencies concerned to deal with the situation arising out of cyclone Tauktae and asked them to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely evacuated. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah and top officials concerned.
The cyclonic storm is likely to hit the Karnataka coast tonight, the state ministers have warned. Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts will witness heavy rains during this period.
As per the IMD update issued at 6 PM, the depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Arabian sea has moved north-northwest and is very much likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm — ‘Tauktae’ — during the next three hours and very severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 12 hours.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has increased the number of teams from 53 to 100 to undertake relief and rescue measures in view of the impending Cyclone Tauktae.
In Gujarat, they are being stationed at Gir Somnath, Amreli, Porbandar, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Kutch, Morbi, Surat, Gandhinagar, Valsad, Bhavnagar, Navsari, Bharuch and Junagarh districts.
In Maharashtra, at least 97 fishing boats are yet to return to the seashore in Palghar district which is likely to bear the brunt of cyclone Tauktae along with other coastal districts in the state.
Mumbai’s Jumbo Vaccination centres are on standby amid a cyclone alert.
Visuals from Lakshadweep earlier in the day revealed the extent of damage Cyclone Tauktae can cause on the western coast of India.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) this morning issued an ‘orange bulletin’ for Kerala and Tamil Nadu, predicting a severe flood situation.
The IMD has been issuing three hourly bulletins since May 13 with the latest forecast to all the states concerned.
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