Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
Cyclone Tauktae: BMC shifts 600 Covid patients; NDRF ready
MUMBAI: Even as chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray has announced an alert for Mumbai and four coastal districts in the state in view of Cyclone Tauktae developing in the Arabian Sea, authorities in the city have begun gearing up to face any situation in case of heavy rain over the next two days.
On Saturday, CM held a review meeting with district collectors of the coastal districts in the state to take stock of the preparations. “CM instructed the administration to be fully vigilant in the coastal areas and take necessary precautionary measures. The impact of the cyclone could be felt in Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts. District collectors should be ready, and manpower and equipment should be in place for any emergency,” a statement issued by his office read.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) decided to shift around 600 patients from the makeshift jumbo centres at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), Mulund and Dahisar to the nearby facilities, including the ones at SevenHills Hospital (Andheri) and NESCO (Goregaon), on Saturday owing to the alert. While BKC and Dahisar jumbo centres were being completely vacated till the time of going to press, patients at the Mulund facility’s ICU (intensive care unit) were not being moved as they are admitted inside a permanent structure, said BMC officials.
“The patients are being shifted as a precautionary measure owing to the cyclonic storm. The wind speed is expected to be around 80-kmph (kilometre per hour) on Sunday, but if the speed increases, we may not be able to shift them at a later stage,” additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said.
Hospitals have been asked to arrange for power backup to ensure constant electricity supply, in case of any damage to the supply lines due to the cyclone.
Three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, each with 45 members, have been kept on standby, civic officials said. The civic body has advised citizens to avoid stepping out on Sunday as gusty wind and moderate rainfall are expected. BMC has asked its 24 ward officers to stay on alert. Dangerous trees have been trimmed in the city owing to the alert and all ward officers have been directed to either secure huge hoardings firmly or pull them down if required.
Authorities have been directed to bring down tower cranes at construction sites so that there is no untoward incident on account of any structure coming crashing down due to the gusty winds.
A high-level meeting was held on Saturday by senior civic officials, along with representatives of Mumbai Police, NDRF, Indian
Navy, Coast Guard, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) and other agencies. They discussed the possible impact of the cyclone on Mumbai,
steps to be taken for the safety of citizens who could get affected and the relief measures that might be needed.
Following the meeting, BMC told its officials to be on high alert and if need be, evacuate citizens living in low-lying areas, such as near Mithi River, where flooding can be reported owing to heavy rainfall on Sunday. With an anticipated wind speed of 80 kmph off the MaharashtraGoa coast on Sunday, the coastal wards in the western suburbs have been asked to make arrangements in five civic schools where citizens residing by the coast can be evacuated to at anytime on late Saturday night or early Sunday morning in case of any threat due to the cyclonic storm.
A BMC official who attended the meeting, said, “There are five major points on which we are asked to be prepared, including trimming or cutting of dangerous trees and ensuring that hoardings and barricades at construction sites are properly placed. Several big hoardings are being removed and dewatering pumps are being kept ready with staff from the storm water department been asked to remain on alert. We have also been asked to stay on alert for those residing by the coast and evacuate them if the need arises. In case of those residing in lowlying areas near Mithi River, we will evacuate them only in case of heavy rainfall in the city on Sunday. Also, the weather and fisheries departments directed the fishermen to not venture into the sea by,” the official added.
Though it is taking precautions, according to a BMC statement, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone should not be a threat to the city. “Senior IMD officials briefed about Cyclone Tauktae. They said the cyclone is not a threat to the city. However, as it will pass through the sea near Mumbai, its effect is likely to be accompanied by rains and strong winds. On Sunday, the wind speed in Mumbai was expected to go up to 60-80 kmph. There will be moderate rainfall at some places. IMD has also forecast heavy rain at some places,” the BMC statement read.