HomeIndia NewsCyclone Tauktae likely to hit western coast on May 18, says IMD; NDRF teams deployed in 5 states

Cyclone Tauktae likely to hit western coast on May 18, says IMD; NDRF teams deployed in 5 states

Cyclone Tauktae likely to hit Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The states are already in the grip of COVID's vicious second wave.

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By CNBCTV18.com May 14, 2021, 7:28:33 PM IST (Updated)

Cyclone Tauktae likely to hit western coast on May 18, says IMD; NDRF teams deployed in 5 states
A depression centered over Lakshadweep, about 360 km west-southwest of Kannur in Kerala, is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours before hitting the western coast on May 18, the Indian Meteorological Department forecast on Friday afternoon said.


IMD predicted that the depression is very likely to move initially north-northeastwards till the evening on May 14, then moving north-northwestwards, it will reach near Gujarat coast by May 18 morning.

The wind speed, which is currently at 50-60 kmph, gusting to 70 kmph, is likely to reach 70–80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph, over the east-central Arabian Sea and the adjoining southeast Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area from May 15 morning, the IMD said in the statement.

Also read: Kerala districts on red alert as IMD warns of cyclone

The depression will likely cause light to extremely heavy rainfall in Lakshadweep Islands till May 16 and in Kerala till May 17, read the forecast. Besides, some districts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Konkan, and Goa will get light to extremely heavy rainfall till May 16. Apart from these states, Gujarat and south-west Rajasthan will receive light to extremely heavy rainfall from May 16-18, the IMD predicted.

The IMD has warned fishermen not to venture into the Arabian Sea in the Lakshadweep- Maldives areas and off Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and the adjoining Gujarat coast till May 18 as the sea conditions will be rough to very rough. It has advised the fishermen out in the sea over north and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea to return to the coast.

NDRF Teams Deployed

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed several teams on the ground in five states in view of the cyclone, to be named ‘Tauktae,’ when it is formed. At least 24 teams are pre-deployed and 29 more are kept on standby in Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, NDRF DG S.N. Pradhan told news agency ANI.

Also read: Cyclone Amphan of 2020 resulted in $14 bn economic losses in India: UN report

The cyclone is likely to hit the Karnataka coast on May 15 at a speed of up to 80 kmph. In view of that, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority has issued red alerts to its three coastal districts for May 15-16.

Double Whammy for Southern States and Maharashtra

It's a double whammy for Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, which have been fighting a severe second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these states has been reporting over 30,000 new cases every day.

Among these states, Maharashtra recorded the highest 42,582 new infections on May 13, Kerala registered 39,955 cases, Karnataka 35,297, and Tamil Nadu 30,621 daily cases.
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