‘Extremely severe’ cyclone Tauktae lashes Guj, Maha
Hundreds of thousands evacuated from the western coast, cyclone kills at least 12
MUMBAI/AHMEDABAD: Hundreds of thousands of people were moved from their homes across states to safety on Monday and authorities closed ports and airports as the most intense cyclone in more than two decades roared up India’s western coast.
Tropical storm Tauktae — pronounced as Taute – intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 180 to 190 kmph gusting to 210 kmph, and was expected to make landfall on the coast of Gujarat between 8pm and 11 pm on Monday, dumping heavy rains on Mumbai, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD).
It warned of storm surges of up to 10 feet in some of Gujarat’s coastal districts.
The cyclone forced the evacuation of over 150,000 people in Gujarat, while 54 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) remained deployed, and left two barges with 410 people on board adrift in the Arabian Sea who were rescued later, an official said.
Several thousand more were evacuated from Maharashtra coast.
As the cyclone raged past the Maharashtra coast and inched closer to Mumbai in the morning, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport announced the suspension of operations from 11 am to 2 pm and later decided to keep all operations shut till 8 pm.
Large-scale damage is expected over Porbandar, Amreli Junagarh, Gir Somnath, Botad, Bhavnagar and coastal areas of Ahmedabad.
There is likely to be total destruction of thatched houses and extensive damage to kutcha houses; some damage to pucca houses; potential threat from flying objects; bending or uprooting of power and communication poles; major damage to roads; flooding of escape routes; minor disruption of railways; overhead power lines and signalling systems; widespread damage to salt pans and standing crops; blowing down of bushy trees; small boats, country crafts may get detached from moorings; visibility may be severely affected.
Cyclone Tauktae has already killed at least 12 people and left a trail of destruction as it brushed past the coastal states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, the authorities said.
“This will be the most severe cyclone to hit Gujarat in at least 20 years. This can be compared with the 1998 cyclone that hit Kandla and inflicted heavy damage,” state revenue secretary Pankaj Kumar said.
The 1998 cyclone killed at least 4,000 people and caused extensive damage.
The cyclone brought gusts of