Cyclone Tauktae wreaks havoc across Karnataka, Goa

With Cyclone Tauktae wreaking havoc in the coastal and surrounding Malnad districts of Karnataka, four deaths have been reported in the state so far, officials said on Sunday. According to a situation report by Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority officials Sunday morning, 73 villages, 17 taluks in seven districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Hassan have been affected by the cyclone so far. Among the 73 villages affected, a maximum of 28 are from Udupi district.

Among the four deaths reported so far one each are from Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga, officials said.

While one fisherman who went to tie his boat died in Uttara Kannada as he got hit by another boat, a person died in Udupi due to electricity mishap, they said, adding that one death each were reported in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga due house collapse and lightning respectively.

A total of 318 people have been evacuated so far, as per the situation report, and 298 people are currently taking shelter in the 11 relief camps that have been opened.

Damages to a total of 112 houses, 139 poles, 22 transformers, 4 ha of horticulture crops have been reported so far, it added.

Cyclone Tauktae wreaks havoc in Goa

At least one person was crushed under an uprooted tree, as normal life was thrown out of gear due to the Cyclone Tauktae with heavy rains and gusty winds causing heavy damage across the state, which has suffered from a major power outage for several hours now.

Sheetal Patil, 34, succumbed to injuries in the beach village of Anjuna after she was hit by a coconut tree that was uprooted in the cyclonic winds.

According to Power Minister Nilesh Cabral, feeder electrical lines from other states have been damaged, which has resulted in a severe power outage.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel are also on the process of clearing roads and repairing electricity cables that have been damaged by the trees which have been uprooted in the cyclonic storm.

The Goa Branch of the Indian Meteorological Department has predicted that the severe cyclonic storm will last till May 17 with wind speeds in the range of 100 to 175 km per hour.

Cyclone Tauktae in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said an alert has been sounded in coastal districts of the state in the wake of cyclone Tauktae, and the state administration has braced up to ensure uninterrupted electricity and oxygen supply in COVID-19 hospitals. Thackeray gave the assurance to Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a virtual meeting in the morning on the preparedness for tackling the cyclonic storm.

During the meeting, Thackeray said jumbo COVID-19 centres and other facilities can protect patients from rain. But, in view of the cyclonic storm, some patients from Mumbai and other areas have been shifted to safer places.

He said all steps have been taken to ensure oxygen production plants on the coastline and transport of oxygen to the rest of the state remain unaffected.

Thackeray also informed that residents along the coastline have been moved to safer places and disaster management units have been activated.

Cyclone Tauktae to reach Gujarat in 24 hours

The very severe cyclonic storm Tauktae is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours and reach the Gujarat coast on Monday evening, the IMD said.

It would cross the state's coast between Porbandar and Mahuva in Bhavnagar district by early Tuesday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its latest bulletin on Sunday.

Tidal waves are likely to inundate several coastal districts during the landfall, it said.

With the cyclone intensifying, the wind speed along and off Gujarat coasts in Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath and Amreli districts will reach 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph by Tuesday morning.

It will reach a speed of 120-150 kmph gusting to 165 kmph over Devbhoomi Dwarka, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar districts during the same period, the IMD said.