While India struggles with the prevailing surge of coronavirus cases, Cyclone “Tauktae” has posed as a new threat in front of the nation.
Mumbai
Amid heavy rainfall and gust winds, Mumbai has shutdown its airport from 11am to 2 pm. Meanwhile, BMC also announced that Borivali sea link has also been suspended in the same light.
“Dear Mumbaikars, Bandra-Worli sea link will be closed to commute till further update. Please take alternate routes if at all you plan to move out. The best plan however is to stay indoors today unless it’s absolutely unavoidable,” BMC said in a tweet.
IMD has also predicted that isolated places in north Konkan, Mumbai, Thane and Palghar will receive heavy to very heavy on Monday, while Raigad can receive extremely heavy rainfall.
Gujarat
According to the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) latest update, Tauktae has now become a “very severe cyclonic storm” and is likely to intensify even further in the next 24 hours before making the landfall in Gujarat.
The cyclone has so far claimed six lives in Gujarat while hundreds of people have lost their houses as trees and electricity polls were uprooted due to intense spells of rains.
Goa
While some parts have received moderate rainfall in the coastal state, many have completely been thrashed disrupting power supply and movement. The major impact of the cyclone was seen in Bardez taluka in North Goa district and Mormugao in South Goa, said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
“Hundreds of houses suffered major damage due to the cyclonic winds. Some highways were blocked at several points after trees got uprooted. However, the roads were cleared by the disaster management teams,” Sawant said.
Karnataka
As many as four people have been declared dead due to the storm led crisis in Karnataka, the state government announced.
The highest rainfall of 385 mm was recorded at Nada Station in Kundapura taluk of Udupi district, which was the worst affected, and 15 stations recorded more than 200 mm of rainfall in the district, Officials said, A dozen relief camps are functioning in the state, they added.
Kerala:
In Kerala, light to moderate rainfall is expected at many places with heavy falls at isolated places on Monday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Saturday reviewed the preparedness of states, central ministries and agencies concerned to deal with the situation arising out of Cyclone Tauktae.
