In view of the Cyclone Tauktae, vaccination drive against Covid-19 will remain suspended across Gujarat on May 17 and May 18, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani informed on Sunday.
The chief minister has requested the citizens not to leave their homes during May 17 and May 18. He said that there is a possibility of heavy rains along with hurricanes in the entire state of Gujarat.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Tauktae which has taken the form of a "very severe cyclonic storm" is likely to intensify further during the next 24 hours and reach the Gujarat coast on Monday evening.
ALSO READ | Cyclone Tauktae wreaks havoc across Karnataka, Goa; casualties reported
Strong winds with speed reaching up to 90 km/per were lashing the western coastal region.
According to the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD, by May 18 the wind speed is expected to increase to 150-160 km per hour, gusting up to 175 km per hour.
An estimated 1.5 lakh people are being shifted from low-lying coastal areas in Gujarat while 54 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the state.
Maharashtra too was bracing for the storm as the Met department predicted heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places in north Konkan, Mumbai, Thane and Palghar and extremely heavy rainfall in Raigad on Monday.
ALSO READ | No Covid vaccination drive in Mumbai on Monday too in view of cyclone Tauktae
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