14:12 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
One killed, 2 injured in Maharashtra’s Raigad
One person was killed and two injured as Cyclone Tauktae brought rains and winds to Maharashtra’s Raigad district, where the IMD has issues a red alert, according to ANI.
Meanwhile, the district administration has shifted 8,383 people from vulnerable areas to safer places.
14:05 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
Mumbai records 102 kmph winds, waterlogging reported from six locations
As the Cyclone Tauktae lay centered 145 km west-northwestwards of Mumbai, the Colaba observatory recorded wind speeds of 102 km per hour, the highest for the day so far.
After disruption of services on the suburban train netowrk’s Central line, services on the harbour line also came to a brief halt after a vinyl banner fell on an overhead wire between Chunabhatti and Guru Tej Bahadur stations around 11.45 am.
Due to the strong wind, some plastic sheets covering the roof of the common passenger area between the suburban and main lines at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) were blown away in the morning, PTI reported.
Mumbai Police tweeted about water-logging in six low-lying areas, including the Hindmata junction, Andheri subway and Malad Subway, crucial for the east-west connectivity.
According to civic officials, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Indian Navy were on alert as Cyclone Tauktae intensified to a extremely severe cyclonic storm. Six flood rescue teams of the Mumbai fire brigade were deployed at chowpatties and five temporary shelters each were kept ready in 24 civic wards of the city to shift citizens there if required, they said.
Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm Tauktae
INSAT 3D satellite-based centre position
at 1230 IST – 19.4N & 71.5E
Distance from Diu is 162km (South-southeast)
Distance from Mumbai is 145km (west-northwest) pic.twitter.com/8P1RHCxxv2
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 17, 2021
13:46 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
Landfall between Gujarat’s Mahuva and Porbandar
Cyclone Tauktae is likely to make landfall on Monday night between Gujarat’s Mahuva and Porbandar areas and close to Diu, according to Skymet.
“A swathe of 100 km on either side of the anticipated strike always remains vulnerable,” it said.
13:30 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
Overnight showers, high speed winds in Mumbai
Gusty winds and rains lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas till Monday morning, but no waterlogging was reported.
In view of the high speed winds, the Bandra-Worli sea-link was closed for traffic and people were asked to take alternate routes. Meanwhile, local trains services of the Central Railway were disrupted between suburban Ghatkopar and Vikhroli as a tree branch fell on a train heading towards neighbouring Thane, a railway spokesperson said.
As a precautionary measure, the monorail services in the city were suspended for the day.
13:25 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
Coast Guard rescues 12 fishermen off Kochi coast
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued 12 fishermen stranded around 35 nautical miles off the Kochi coast amid rough seas due to the incoming Cyclone Tauktae.
“Indian fishing boat Jesus stranded 35 nautical miles off Kochi. ICG ship Aryaman rescued the boat with 12 crew. Boat taken under tow by the ICG ship braving rough seas and brought to Kochi on May 16 night. All crew safe and healthy,” the ICG said on Twitter.
13:22 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
17 COVID-19 patients shifted from Porbandar hospital
At least 17 COVID-19 patients on ventilator support in Gujarat’s Porbandar Civil Hospital’s ICU were shifted to other facilities as a precautionary measure in view of cyclone Tauktae which is heading towards the Gujarat coast, an official said.
Since the ceiling of the Intensive Care Unit ward of the hospital is in a dilapidated condition and may fall off due to the adverse weather, 17 COVID-19 patients from the ICU ward were shifted to other medical facilities, in-charge civil surgeon Dr Alka Lakhani said.
Of these 17 patients, five were shifted to Junagadh and 12 to the Jamnagar Civil Hospital, she said.
13:20 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
How Cyclone Tauktae was named
The cyclone has been given the name ‘Tauktae’ (pronounced Tau’te) by Myanmar. It means ‘gecko’, a highly vocal lizard, in the Burmese language.
The naming of cyclones is done by World Meteorological Organization/United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (WMO/ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC), according to an NDTV report.
Thirteen countries on the panel, including India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Maldives, Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, name cyclones in the region. In 2020, a new list of names was released that had 169 names of cyclones, having 13 suggested names each from 13 countries.
12:33 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
41 NDRF teams, 35 green corridors for oxygen movement: Gujarat prepares for cyclone
A number of teams of departments like forest, roads and buildings, health, revenue and electricity have been deployed to immediately address the damage caused due to the cyclone in Gujarat.
Besides, 41 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed along with 10 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Three teams of the NDRF have been kept in reserve, release by the state government said.
Special arrangements have been made in hospitals treating COVID-19 patients to ensure electricity backup in case of power outage due to the cyclone.
Arrangements have also been made for 161 ICU ambulances and 576 ambulances of ‘108’ service to shift patients in case of emergency, it said. The state government has also created 35 green corridors for easy transportation of medical oxygen for the needy patients across Gujarat.
De-watering pumps have also been set up in low-lying areas to clear flooding.
Local administrations have removed 2,126 hoardings in urban areas and 643 in rural areas as well as 668 temporary structures, to avoid any threat caused by them to people’s lives, the government said.
12:29 (IST)
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST Updates
Cyclone to cross Gujarat coast between 8 pm and 11 pm
Cyclone Tauktae, which has now intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”, is likely to reach Gujarat coast by Monday evening and cross the state coast between 8 pm and 11 pm, the IMD said.
As a precautionary measure, the state administration shifted over one lakh people living in coastal areas of 17 districts to safer places till late Sunday night, and the work resumed on Monday morning, the government said in a release.
Cyclone Tauktae LATEST News and Updates: Cyclone Tauktae, which has now intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”, is likely to reach Gujarat coast by Monday evening and cross the state coast between 8 pm and 11 pm, the IMD said.
As a precautionary measure, the state administration shifted over one lakh people living in coastal areas of 17 districts to safer places till late Sunday night, and the work resumed on Monday morning, the government said in a release.
According to the State Emergency Operation Centre, in the 24-hour period ending at 6 am on Monday, 84 talukas of 21 districts of Gujarat received light rainfall, mainly caused due to the cyclonic disturbances.
Six talukas received over one inch rainfall, it said.
As per the latest bulletin of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Tauktae has further intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”.
“It is very likely to move north-north-westwards and reach the Gujarat coast in the evening hours of (May) 17th and cross the state coast between Porbandar and Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) during the night (2000 hrs-2300 hrs IST) with a maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph,” the IMD said.
The cyclone will cause light to moderate rainfall at many places in the state, heavy to very heavy showers at a few places, and extremely heavy downpour at isolated places over southern districts of Saurashtra, Diu and Gujarat region on Monday and Tuesday, the IMD said.
The sea conditions will remain “phenomenal” till Tuesday morning before improving, it said.
The state government in a release said over one lakh people were shifted to safer temporary shelters from 655 vulnerable villages in 17 districts till late Monday night.
A number of teams of departments like forest, roads and buildings, health, revenue and electricity have been deployed to immediately address the damage caused due to the cyclone, it said.
Besides, 41 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed along with 10 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Three teams of the NDRF have been kept in reserve, the release said.
Special arrangements have been made in hospitals treating COVID-19 patients to ensure electricity backup in case of power outage due to the cyclone.
Arrangements have also been made for 161 ICU ambulances and 576 ambulances of ‘108’ service to shift patients in case of emergency, it said.
The state government has also created 35 green corridors for easy transportation of medical oxygen for the needy patients across Gujarat.
De-watering pumps have also been set up in low-lying areas to clear flooding.
Local administrations have removed 2,126 hoardings in urban areas and 643 in rural areas as well as 668 temporary structures, to avoid any threat caused by them to people’s lives, the government said.
With inputs from PTI