Tauktae Storm Hits The Shore, Wreaks Havoc In Konkan Coast And Parts Of Kerala

The IMD has issued an ‘orange alert’ meaning heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over the entire Konkan and parts of western Maharashtra

Tauktae storm

Kerala: Most of the coastal areas in the country have been alerted due to the 'Tauktae' storm which has been wreaking havoc in the shore cities of Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

The Indian Meteorological Department has warned the fishermen alongside the coastal region to not venture out on the seas till May 17 (Monday) morning. The department assumes that the very severe cyclonic storm is likely to intensify further in the next 24 hours.

The IMD has issued an ‘orange alert’ meaning heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over the entire Konkan and parts of western Maharashtra, mainly Kolhapur and Satara on Sunday and Monday.

IMD tweets out the current location of the storm: "CycloneAlert for Gujarat & Diu coasts: VSCS Tauktae to cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar & Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) around 18th May early morning. At 1130 hours of today, it lay near 15.7°N/72.7°E, about 120 km west-northwest of Panjim-Goa,380 km south-southwest of Mumbai."

CycloneAlert for Gujarat & Diu coasts: VSCS Tauktae to cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar & Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) around 18thMay early morning. At 1130 hoursIST of today,it lay near 15.7°N/72.7°E, about 120 km west-northwest of Panjim-Goa,380 km south-southwest of Mumbai pic.twitter.com/s1P2Hkri9D

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 16, 2021

With Cyclone expected to Mumbai shores this evening, City Mayor Kishori Padnekar declared that the Covid vaccine drive on Monday is likely to remain close. "Cyclone Tauktae has crossed Goa & it is near Ratnagiri now. We are monitoring the situation. This cyclone can create a huge problem. Our teams including lifeguards are deployed near the sea. We've trimmed all huge trees & police are patrolling," said Mumbai Mayor.

High tidal currents due to the storm have destroyed the houses in the coastal villages of Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. 

#WATCH | Rough sea and high tidal waves damage/destroy several houses in Valiyathura, a coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala#CycloneTauktae pic.twitter.com/NLpqTHr5yy

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2021

With IMD warning the coastal regions of Gujarat, the state's Energy Minister Saurabh Patel said, "We're fully prepared. In all 12 districts of Saurashtra which are likely to be affected by #CycloneTauktae, special arrangements have been made in COVID hospitals -- from materials to manpower. Dual power supply arrangement has been done."

We're fully prepared. In all 12 districts of Saurashtra which are likely to be affected by #CycloneTauktae, special arrangements have been made in COVID hospitals -- from materials to manpower. Dual power supply arrangement has been done: Gujarat Energy Minister Saurabh Patel pic.twitter.com/j9vmrB8KiK

— ANI (@ANI) May 16, 2021