NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, MAY 16
With Cyclone Tauktae fast approaching the Gujarat coast, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Sunday said that all fishing boats, except 18 in Maharashtra and one in Gujarat, have reached their harbours or taken shelter at nearby ports.
#CycloneTauktae@IndiaCoastGuard માછીમારોને દરીયો ન ખેડવા અને બોટ કિનારે લઈ જવા સૂચના આપી રહ્યુ છે.
પોરબંદર, વેરાવળના દરીયાઇ વિસ્તારમાં કોસ્ટ ગાર્ડની કામગીરી@NCC_Dte_Gujarat@CMOGuj @SpokespersonMoD @indiannavy @GovernorofGuj @drajaykumar_ias @shipmin_india @seaandcoast1 pic.twitter.com/l8uT49qtd6
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) May 16, 2021
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Tauktae has intensified into a “very severe cyclonic storm” and is very likely to reach the Gujarat coast in the evening hours of May 17 and cross it between Porbandar and Mahuva in Bhavnagar district around the early morning of May 18.
“Pre-emptive measures in full swing for Maharashtra & Gujarat. Barring 18 boats from Maharashtra and one boat from Gujarat, all boats have either returned harbour or taken shelter in nearby ports,” the ICG said on Twitter.
As VSCS #Tauktae crossed #Kerala #Karnataka & #Goa, sustained & concerted preventive measures by @IndiaCoastGuard ensured safe return of all fishing boats of these states & Nil loss of precious lives at sea.@DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD @Min_FAHD pic.twitter.com/rFvArI15Qa
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) May 16, 2021
The IMD said squally wind with speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely over the northeast Arabian Sea and along and off south Gujarat and Daman and Diu coasts from Sunday morning.
The IMD has also issued a yellow alert for the coasts of Gujarat and Diu and Daman.
Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely over the northeast Arabian Sea and along and off south Gujarat and Daman and Diu coasts from morning May 16.
It will gradually increase, becoming gale with speed reaching 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph over the northeast Arabian Sea and along and off Gujarat coast (Porbandar, Junagarh, Gir Somnath, Amreli) and 120-150 kmph gusting to 165 kmph over Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar districts of Gujarat from the early hours of May 18.
Winds with speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph are likely to prevail along and off Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman, Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Bharuch, southern parts of Ahmedabad and Anand districts from the midnight of May 17 and till the morning of May 18.
A nearly 3-metre-high tidal wave is expected in Junagarh, 1-2.5 metres above astronomical tide is likely to inundate coastal areas of Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bharuch, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad, Anand, Surat and about 0.5-1 metres over Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Kutch and the remaining coastal districts of Gujarat during the time of landfall, the IMD said.
According to the weather department, in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, total destruction of thatched houses, extensive damage to kutcha houses and some damage to pucca houses is expected. There could be a potential threat from flying objects with bending or uprooting of power and communication poles.
Major damage to kutcha and pucca roads, flooding of escape routes, minor disruption of railways, overhead power lines and signalling systems is expected, the IMD said.
According to the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD, by May 18, the wind speed is expected to increase to 150-160 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 175 kmph.
Wind speed reaching 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph is likely along and off south Maharashtra-Goa and adjoining Karnataka coasts, and 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph along and off the north Maharashtra coast on May 16. It is likely to increase to 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph along and off the north Maharashtra coast from May 17 till the morning of May 18, the IMD said.
