According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Cyclone Tauktae is expected to intensify into a “very severe cyclonic storm” and move north-northwestwards, crossing the Gujarat coast in the morning of May 18. (IMD). Tau’Te is how it’s pronounced.
In a tweet, the IMD said on Sunday morning, “The CS Tauktae lay centred at 2330 IST of 15th May over Arabian Sea about 170 km southwest of Panjim-Goa, 520 km south of Mumbai. It is very likely to intensify into a VSCS, cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) around 18th May early morning.”
Fishermen near coastal areas have also been warned by the weather service. The cyclone strikes as India battles a raging second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The following are the most recent updates on Cyclone Tauktae:
- The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will relocate 500 Covid-19 patients to safer locations. Mumbai could be hit by strong winds and showers as a result of the storm.
- On Saturday, Maharashtra’s chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray, addressed a meeting in which he directed officials to be vigilant and well-equipped, particularly in the coastal areas of Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg.
- Due to the cyclonic storm, Indian Railways has cancelled or shortened some trains.
- In a video message, Goa’s chief minister Pramod Sawant announced that the state’s lifesaving equipment has been activated on beaches to deal with the cyclone’s aftermath.
- Fishing operations have been suspended entirely over the east central and adjoining southeast Arabian Seas, as well as along and off the coasts of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra.
- In preparation for the cyclone, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has kept 16 transport aircraft and 18 helicopters operational.
- On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level meeting to assess the preparedness of states and central ministries/agencies to deal with the aftermath of Cyclone Tauktae. The cabinet secretary will maintain constant contact with the chief secretaries of coastal states and central ministries/agencies concerned, according to the meeting. The Ministry of Home Affairs is monitoring the situation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- The Indian Navy said on Saturday that it helped flood-affected villages in Kerala’s Chellanam panchayat, including Malaghapady, Companypadi, and Maruvakkad. In the harsh weather conditions, teams rescued personnel, provided food and water, and relocated people trapped in houses to a relief camp at St Mary’s High School Chellanam, according to the Southern Naval Command.
- Officials with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said on Friday that they are well prepared for Cyclone Tauktae and have committed 53 teams to the task. Officials from the National Disaster Response Force said 24 teams have been pre-deployed and 29 are on standby, ready to respond to the five most vulnerable states: Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
