Cyclone Tauktae Highlights
Cyclone Tauktae Highlights, Severe Rainfall Alert in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Kerala Highlights: Focus on midnight when the cyclone will leave Gujarat coastal system; Mumbai spared once again; around 20 dead so far
Cyclone Tauktae Highlights, Weather Forecast Today Highlights: Cyclone Tauktae has made landfall near Gujarat coast and the next two hours will be extremely critical, the IMD has said. Amid the deadly second wave of the coronavirus, the Western Ghats have been brutally hit by Cyclone Tauktae. A Burmese name that means a gecko, the storm is the first one that has emerged in the ocean system situated near the Indian Subcontinent. From heavy rainfall that states such as Kerala and Karnataka have experienced in the last 48 hours, Cyclone Tauktae has intensified into an ‘extremely severe cyclonic storm’. Gujarat is in the way of it eye of storm and it is the strongest storm that the state has seen in the last 20 years. Though Mumbai was spared the ‘eye of storm’, the Maximum City today experience strong wind gust at a speed of 114 kmph. All major airports have been shut so far.
Massive relocation operation is on in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Over 10 people were killed in rain-related incidents in Goa and Karnataka. As the NDRF and other authorities continue to monitor the situation and relief work, here are the latest updates on Cylone Tauktae:
22:34 (IST)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has resumed operations: MIAL - ANI
The eye of the cyclone could be seen with 40km diameter just short of the coast, though becoming ragged, tweets SkyMet
Cyclone Tauktae centre is 35km East-southeast of Diu. It will cross Saurastra coast to east of Diu within 3 hours, says IMD
Seven rain-related deaths have been reported in Kerala since May 12, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday. The state isgetting over the damage caused by Cyclone Tauktae, he told reporters here. As of 3 pm today, there are 5,235 persons from 1,479 families in 175 disaster relief camps in the state that were started in the wake of the cyclone, he said. "Of these, 2,034 were men, 2,191 were women and 1,010 were children.The highest number of 1,427 persons is in Ernakulam district followed by 1,180 in Thiruvananthapuram," he said. - PTI
The extremely severe cyclonic storm Tauktae lies close to the Gujarat coast. The landfall process started and will continue during next 2 hours: India Meteorological Department (IMD) - ANI
INS Kochi and INS Kolkata on scene for Search & Rescue Operations for Barge 'P305' adrift off Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High. Operations being undertaken in extreme weather conditions and very rough seas - ANI
Mumbai Airport operations closure has been extended up to 2200 hours today: MIAL - ANI
2 NDRF teams are deployed here & 2 teams of the Indian Army will also come. CHC, PHC & government hospitals will remain functional 24 hours: Diu Collector, Saloni Rai - ANI
The expected landfall of Cyclone Tauktae is at 8pm during which winds reaching 150-160 kmph will occur. We're evacuating people from kaccha houses. 1200 people have been shifted into shelters. We've made dual power backup arrangements in COVID hospital: Diu Collector, Saloni Rai - ANI
Six people died and nine injured in the damage due to Cyclone Tauktae. Four animals died too. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray made an assessment of the damage and instructed that the relief works be quickened: Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office (CMO) - ANI
Winds blew at 114 kmph in Mumbai on Monday afternoon as the extremely severe cyclonic storm Tauktae was passing close to the Mumbai coast barrelling towards Gujarat, civic officials said. However, as per the Mumbai IMD, the highest wind speed of 108 km per hour was recorded at the Colaba observatory in the afternoon, said Shubhangi Bhute, senior director, IMD Mumbai. Earlier in the day, the civic body said the wind speed of 114 kmph, the highest during the day, was recorded around 2 pm at its automatic weather station located at Afghan Church in south Mumbai's Colaba area. - PTI
Indian Coast Guard Ship Samarth responds to a distress call, rescues 15 crew from a fishing boat named Milad off Goa coast today. All crew are safe and boat is being towed ashore: Indian Coast Guard - ANI
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has directed the three services to provide all possible assistance to the civil administrations in the coastal states of Maharashtra and Gujarat in tackling the situation arising out of cyclone Tauktae. Singh issued the instruction after reviewing the preparedness of the armed forces to deal with the fallout of the cyclone. "The defence minister directed the three services to provide all possible assistance to the civil administration to deal with the emerging situation," the defence ministry said. Singh carried out the review at a video conference which was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria and Army Chief Gen M M Naravane among others. – PTI
Mumbai Airport operations closure has been extended up to 2000 hours today: MIAL - ANI
Valsad, Morbi, Gir Somnath, Kutch, Dwarka are some of the regions where the NDRF teams have been evacuating people throughout the day.
962 people from Ahmedabad's Dholera village evacuated to 38 shelters - ANI
Indian Navy deploys 3 of its frontline warships after receiving messages to rescue over 400 people onboard two barges off Mumbai coast in view of cyclone Tauktae - PTI
Over 10,000 people moved to safer locations in Mumbai
Trees uprooted, streets waterlogged in different parts of Mumbai due to heavy rain and wind. - ANI
Two teams of NDRF, Pune are enroute to Daman and Diu & Dadra And Nagar Haveli: NDRF - ANI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday on the Cyclone Tauktae related situation in the state, official sources said. The cyclonic storm over the Arabian Sea led to very strong winds blowing at a speed of 114 kmph in Mumbai on Monday afternoon, civic officials said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that Cyclone Tauktae has now intensified into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm". It is likely to reach Gujarat coast by Monday evening and cross the state coast between 8 pm and 11 pm, the IMD said. (PTI)
Six people have lost their lives so far in the Cyclone Tauktae-hit coastal and surrounding Malnad districts of Karnataka, officials said on Monday. According to a situation report by Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority officials, till this morning, 121 villages and 22 taluks have been affected by the cyclone so far. A total of 547 people have been evacuated till now, it said, 290 people are currently taking shelter in the 13 relief camps that have been opened. (PTI)
962 people from Dholera evacuated to shelters. A total of 38 shelters functioning here. All individuals were transferred to shelters after rapid antigen testing. All Corona guidelines being strictly followed in shelters: Sandeep Sagle, Ahmedabad Dist Collector. (ANI)
Mumbai Airport operations closure has been extended up to 1800 hours today: MIAL
INS Kolkata sails out for assistance on SOS received from Barge 'GAL Constructor' with 137 people onboard about 8 Nautical Miles from Mumbai: PRO Defence, Mumbai (ANI)
So far, 12,420 citizens were relocated to safer places from the coastal areas. Mumbai, Thane & Palghar districts are on orange alert while Raigad district is on red alert: Chief Ministers Office. (ANI)
The Colaba area in south Mumbai recorded a wind speed of 102 km per hour around 11 am, the highest for the day so far, IMD Mumbai's senior director Shubhangi Bhute said. Between 8.30 am and 11 am, the IMD's Colaba observatory (representative of south Mumbai) recorded 79.4 mm rainfall, while the Santacruz observatory (representative of suburbs) recorded 44.5 mm rain, she said. (PTI)
High speed winds and heavy rains lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas on Monday as the "very severe cyclonic storm" Tauktae headed towards Gujarat, uprooting trees and disrupting local train services here, officials said. In view of the strong winds, the Bandra-Worli sea-link was closed for traffic and people were asked to take alternate routes, a senior official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The Colaba area in south Mumbai recorded a wind speed of 102 km per hour around 11 am, the highest for the day so far, IMD Mumbai's senior director Shubhangi Bhute said. (PTI)
A barge with 273 personnel on board has gone adrift off the Mumbai coast as the severe cyclonic storm 'Tauktae' over the Arabian Sea intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm and is expected to reach Gujarat coast Monday evening, officials said. "On receipt of a request for assistance for Barge 'P305' adrift off Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High area with 273 personnel onboard, warship INS Kochi was sailed with a despatch for Search and Rescue (SAR) assistance," a Navy spokesperson said. (PTI)
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant held a meeting to review the Tauktae cyclone impact in the state via video conference. "Issued directions to all the State Govt Departments to work on war footing to restore essential services and also assess the damage in detail," he says. (ANI)
At least 17 COVID-19 patients on ventilator support in the Porbandar Civil Hospital's ICU were shifted to other facilities on Monday as a precautionary measure in view of cyclone Tauktae which is heading towards the Gujarat coast, an official said.
One killed and two injured in Maharashtra's Raigad due to Cyclone Taukate. 8,383 people have been shifted to a safer place: Office of District Collector, Raigad. (ANI)
Three city-bound flights operated by budget carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet were diverted on Monday following suspension of operations at the Mumbai airport till 2 pm in the wake of the Tuaktae cyclone alert, a statement said. A city-bound IndiGo flight was diverted to Hyderabad, while a SpiceJet flight was diverted to Surat, due to the suspension of air services at the airport, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) said in the statement on Monday. Besides, one IndiGo flight was sent back to Lucknow, it said. (PTI)
Spoke to Union Home Minister regarding the impact and devastation caused by the Tauktae cyclone in the state. HM inquired about the widespread damage caused by the cyclone, & assured full support of all Central agencies to the State for returning to normalcy: Goa CM (NAI)
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. (PTI)
A flight traveling from Chennai to Mumbai schedule at 8.15 am today was diverted to Surat: MIAL spokesperson. (ANI)
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday said it rescued 12 fishermen stranded around 35 nautical miles off the Kochi coast amid rough seas due to the incoming Cyclone Tauktae on the night of May 16. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Tauktae has turned into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm" and is expected to hit the Gujarat coast by the evening. "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. (PTI)
Heavy to very heavy rains very likely at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls in the districts of Saurashtra namely Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar ,Junagadh, Boatd & in Diu; in the districts of Gujarat region namely Valsad, Navsari & in Daman, Dadra Nagar Haveli: IMD. (IMD)
According to civic officials, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Navy were on alert as Cyclone Tauktae intensified to a very severe cyclonic storm and was passing close to Mumbai. 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.
As a precautionary measure, the monorail services in the city were suspended for the day, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) said. This was a "prompt decision" taken for the safety of commuters, the MMRDA said. "#TauktaeCyclone. Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm now. Mumbai 160 km Veraval Guj 290 km Take care ...North Konkan, Mah coast and Guj," KS Hosalilar, head SID, Climate Research & Services, IMD Pune, tweeted.
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. (PTI)
Gusty winds and rains lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas overnight and on Monday morning as the "very severe cyclonic storm" Tauktae was heading towards Gujarat, officials said. There was no water-logging anywhere in the metropolis, but trees were uprooted at several places, they said, adding that no casualty was reported so far. In view of the high speed winds, the Bandra-Worli sea-link was closed for traffic and people were asked to take alternate routes, a senior official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. (PTI)