NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, MAY 15
In view of IMD’s warning about Cyclone Tauktae, Gujarat has geared up adequately to ensure there is no casualty and set up a control room, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said on Saturday even as a Central advisory predicted damage to thatched houses, roads, power and communication lines in the districts of the Saurashtra region.
CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp held a review meeting with senior officials on the preparedness of state administration in view of #CycloneTauktae forecast and instructed officials to make all possible arrangements with ‘Zero Casualty’ approach in the wake of prevailing Corona situation. pic.twitter.com/kotX3w6l1J
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 15, 2021
As per the India Meteorological Department, the cyclone is likely to cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya on May 18 afternoon or evening as a “very severe cyclonic storm” bringing isolated extremely heavy rainfall with the wind speed reaching 175 kmph along Saurashtra and Kutch coasts.
CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp speaking on the preparedness of the Gujarat Govt to tackle possible #CycloneTauktae situation.
Watch Live :https://t.co/uuzrK79iXh
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 15, 2021
Rupani said teams of the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) will be deployed.
“The state government has made full preparations and a control room has been set up. Administrations of the districts in Saurashtra and south Gujarat regions, which are likely to be affected by the cyclone, have been alerted. Teams of the NDRF are reaching the state, and they will be deployed,” Rupani told reporters in Palanpur in Banaskantha district.
He said the state will try to prevent casualties in the cyclone.
“Gujarat is fully prepared. We are working with the concern that there shouldn’t be any casualty in the cyclone,” the CM added.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has issued an advisory asking the Gujarat government to keep a close watch, regularly monitor the situation and take appropriate precautionary measures.
It said the “very severe cyclonic storm” is likely to cause damage to thatched houses, roads, power and communication lines, especially in the districts of Saurashtra region such as Devbhoomi Dwarka, Kutch, Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Jamnagar, Amreli, Rajkot and Morbi.
The Home Ministry also said that fishing operations in the state should be totally suspended, rail and road traffic used judiciously, and people in the affected areas asked to remain indoors.
Due to the cyclone, many places in the coastal districts of Saurashtra will receive light to moderate rainfall, and heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over Saurashtra and Kutch, and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Junagadh and Gir Somnath districts on May 17, it said.
On May 18, a few places in Saurashtra and Kutch region will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy falls (more than 20 cms) at isolated places in districts of Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar and Kutch districts, it said.
As per the advisory, on the morning of May 17, coasts along and off south Gujarat will get squally wind reaching 40 to 50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph, which will gradually increase and become gale wind and reach a speed of 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph along and off Saurashtra and Kutch coasts (Devbhoomi Dwarka and Porbandar).
The wind speed will increase to 120-150 kmph gusting to 165 kmph over Kutch, Porbandar, Junagadh, Jamnagar districts of Gujarat from May 18 afternoon/evening for subsequent six hours, it said.
“Sea condition is likely to be very rough to high over the northwest Arabian sea along and off south Gujarat coast from May 17 morning, and very high to phenomenal from May 18 morning.
“Tidal wave of about 2-3 metres above astronomical tide is likely to inundate coastal areas of Morbi, Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Jamnagar district, and 1-2 metres along Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, and 0.5-1 metre over the remaining coastal districts of Gujarat,” the advisory said.
The Home Ministry has also advised total suspension of fishing operations over the northwest Arabian sea and along and off the Gujarat coast from May 17.
“Fishermen are advised not to venture into the east, the central and adjoining northwest Arabian sea along and off the Gujarat coast till May 18,” it said.
Amreli, Rajkot, and Morbi districts may also report major damages to thatched houses, minor damage to power and communication lines, major damage to kutcha, and some damage to pucca roads, as well as flooding of escape routes, damage to salt pans and coastal crops, it said.
There will be strong winds and heavy rainfall at isolated places on May 17 over north Konkan, including Mumbai, the IMD said.
The Maharashtra capital can expect showers from Sunday afternoon, said Shubhani Bhute, senior director (weather) IMD, Mumbai. The storm is currently 250 km south-west of Goa, she added.
“Goa along with Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra would be mostly affected in terms of showers and gusty winds,” Bhute said, adding the wind speeds would be around 60 to 70 kmph.
The IMD has issued an `orange alert” which means heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over entire Konkan and hilly areas of western Maharashtra, mainly Kolhapur and Satara on Sunday and Monday, she said.
In Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the preparedness of states, central ministries and agencies concerned to deal with the situation arising out of cyclone Tauktae and asked them to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely evacuated.
He also called for ensuring maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunications, health and drinking and their immediate restoration in the event of damages caused to them, a statement said.
At the high-level meeting which was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah and top officials concerned, Modi directed them to ensure special preparedness on COVID management in hospitals, vaccine cold chain and other medical facilities on power back up and storage of essential medicines and to plan for unhindered movement of oxygen tankers, the PMO said.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force are being stationed at Gir Somnath, Amreli, Porbandar, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Kutch, Morbi, Surat, Gandhinagar, Valsad, Bhavnagar, Navsari, Bharuch and Junagarh districts of Gujarat, an NDRF spokesperson said.
In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray directed the authorities in coastal districts to remain alert.
Collectors of Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg districts have been asked to take all necessary precautions, Thackeray said at a meeting of the Disaster Management Authority.
