New Delhi/Ahmedabad: The Cyclone Tauktae has intensified into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' and is expected to reach Gujarat coast by May 18 and bring heavy rain to some areas, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
“The SCS “Tauktae” intensified into a VSCS, lay centred at 0230 hrs IST of 16th May about 150 km southwest of Panjim-Goa, 490 km south of Mumbai, 730 km SSWest of Veraval (Gujarat). cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar & Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) around 18th May early morning,” the IMD tweeted on Sunday.
The Indian Air Force, Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are making preparations for Cyclone Tauktae, which is expected to cause 'very heavy' to 'extremely heavy' rainfall along the western coast of India in the next few days.
Further, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has suspended all scheduled flights to the Agatti Airport in Lakshadweep due to heavy rain projections till 10 am on Sunday.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has kept 16 transport aircraft and 18 helicopters on operation readiness in peninsular India. "One IL-76 aircraft has airlifted 127 personnel and 11 tonnes of cargo from Bhatinda to Jamnagar," the force said in a statement.
The IAF also stated that a C-130 aircraft has airlifted 25 personnel and 12.3 tonnes cargo from Bhatinda to Rajkot. "Two C-130 aircraft have airlifted 126 personnel and 14 tonnes cargo from Bhubaneswar to Jamnagar," it added.
Additionally, IAF's Covid relief operations have been focused in these coastal areas for the coming few days, as bad weather might to affect air operations later.
"The cyclone relief operations are in addition to those underway for Covid relief," the force added.
The Indian Navy stated that its ships, aircraft, helicopters, and diving and disaster relief teams are on standby for rendering full support to the state administrations as the cyclonic storm Tauktae approaches the western coast of India.
With early warnings of the cyclone for the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the NDRF has mobilised adequate resources and self-contained rescue and relief teams in the coastal districts of these states which are likely to affected by the cyclonic storm.
The NDRF teams are keeping a close watch on the development of the situation which is being monitored 24x7 from the control room.