Cyclone Tauktae is the first cyclone that has hit India this year. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) the cyclone is expected to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm.
The storm hits India’s west coastline. States like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are all prone to be affected by the natural calamity.
Moreover, The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed a team of 100 members to undertake the relief and rescue measures in the above-mentioned states.
On Saturday, May 15, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went over the preparedness and asked the concerned authorities to ensure public safety.
Cyclone Tauktae intensified overnight. Formed in the Arabian Sea, the storm is expected to further strengthen and reach the Gujarat coast in the evening of May 17.
Wind with speed reaching 60-70 kmph have now gusted to 80 kmph, along and off Maharashtra, Goa coasts are T to reach today and tomorrow.
This severe storm is likely to damage houses, trigger flooding of escape routes. It can also dislocate power supply, which will create problem for the covid patients.
In order to deal with the cyclone rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard have been deployed.
The coastal areas of Maharashtra are on high alert, currently. COVID patients undergoing treatment are relocated to a safer place.
In Gujarat, more than one lakh people have been evacuated. Meanwhile, in Karnataka the Cyclone Tauktae has affected 73 villages across six districts. As of today, four people have died due to this tragedy.
The weather agency predicted a quick change in the scenario due to unusual warming up of the Arabian Sea. This could be because of global warming resulting from the greenhouse gas emissions.
Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune warned that “It developed into a low-pressure system earlier than forecasted.
“As of now, it is forecasted to develop into a cyclone by May 16. Given that the ocean and atmospheric conditions are now favourable, chances of early cyclone formation and rapid intensification cannot be ruled out,” he added.
The private weather monitoring company also predicts that the cyclone would be one of the strongest that the western coast of India has witnessed in over two decades.
