The Indian Meteorological Department has announced that Cyclone Tauktae has intensified into a ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’. It is said to make landfall on the Gujarat coast by Monday evening with winds up to 185 kmph.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm “Tauktae” over Eastcentral Arabian Sea intensified into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm: Cyclone Warning & post landfall outlook for Gujarat & Diu coasts (Red message).https://t.co/nIG8rzj9Vh pic.twitter.com/DAJCsnuRVw
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 17, 2021
Currently, the cyclone is said to be about 120 west-southwest of Mumbai resulting in strong gushes of wind and rainfall. The coastal areas of Maharashtra have been put on high alert.
Maharashtra: Light spell of rain and gusty winds seen in in view of Cyclone Tauktae; early morning visuals from Wadala area of Mumbai pic.twitter.com/ZD1SZ4r0e5
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021
The cyclone has also begun to wreak havoc in parts of Kerala with high tides creating chaos and leaving hundreds displaced.
Cyclone Tauktae intensifies, two killed in Kerala; NDRF teams deployed in 5 coastal states | Track the day’s latest news updates here – https://t.co/Ni3IgWcNZA pic.twitter.com/K4DkB0DMu2
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) May 16, 2021
As per officials, Cyclone Tauktae could result in flash floods and landslides in the coastal areas of Goa, Kerala and Karnataka.
Damage Done
Cyclone Tauktae leaves two dead and one injured after a tree falls on a hut in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant too announced the death of two and damage to several houses due to the gusty winds triggered by the cyclone.
Message to the people of Goa on Cyclonic storm #Tauktaehttps://t.co/j3hSGhJrGL
— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) May 15, 2021
The cyclone claimed two more lives in Kerala as the storm intensified. More than 2000 people have been shifted to 71 camps as precautionary measures.
Cyclone Preparedness
Owing to the worrisome situation, more than 100 teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The Indian Air Force has also deployed two C-130J for transportation of more than 160 personnel and more than 16.5 tonnes of NDRF relief load from Kolkata to Ahmedabad.
Indian Air Force had deployed two C-130J and a An-32 aircraft for transportation of 167 personnel and 16.5 tonnes of load of NDRF from Kolkata to Ahmedabad: IAF#CycloneTauktae pic.twitter.com/lNLEXiQrP8
— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2021
The timely weather alerts by the Indian Coast Guard resulted in all of 4526 fishing boats in Maharashtra and 2258 in Gujarat returning safely to harbour from the sea.
#CycloneTauktae | Through effective & constant liaison with Fisheries Department & timely weather alerts to fishermen by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships & aircraft, all 4526 fishing boats of Maharashtra & 2258 boats of Gujarat have safely returned to harbour from the sea: ICG pic.twitter.com/ZJGIj4FeEo
— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2021
Another 1200 people were safely evacuated from the coastal areas of Malia in Junagadh Gujarat.
Gujarat | In view of Cyclone Tauktae, people living on coastal areas of Malia in Junagadh were evacuated y’day. Inspecting arrangements,Collector Sourabh Pardhi said,”Over 1200 people evacuated. All precautionary measures are being taken with food & shelter arrangements in place” pic.twitter.com/pdtN8zCMlj
— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2021
Covid-19 vaccination drives across several locations in Maharashtra and Gujarat have been called off for two days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting that included Home Minister Amit Shah to review the preparedness of States, central Ministries and agencies concerned and asked them to ensure all were safely evacuated.