The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain warning for parts of Maharashtra, Kerala and Gujarat in view of the rapid intensification of Cyclone Tauktae. A low pressure area or a cyclonic disturbance has formed over Lakshadweep and the Arabian Sea which will gradually intensify into a cyclonic storm by Sunday (May 16).
Code red alert (indicating extremely heavy rains) has been reinstated in five districts of Kerala. The cyclone is likely to impact areas including the coast of Kerala, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Goa and Maharashtra. The IMD has predicted extremely heavy rains (red alert) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam on Friday.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is well prepared ahead of Cyclone Tauktae striking the coasts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra, said NDRF officials on Friday.
“#CycloneTauktae UPDATE- 53 #NDRF teams committed, 24 team’s pre-deployment, 29 teams standby-ready for 5 states Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra,” tweeted Director-General of NDRF Satya Pradhan.
The IMD has also issued a warning for fishermen to not venture into the sea till May 17. As per IMD, the wind speed of 40-50 km per hour is likely to intensify to 70 km per hour on May 15 and may reach 80 km per hour by May 16.
After intensifying into a cyclonic storm on Sunday, Cyclone Tauktae is very likely to intensify further and move north-northwestwards to Gujarat and the adjoining Pakistan coast.
