Cyclone Tauktae: At least six die in Maharashtra as storm lashes coastal areas
Wind speeds reached 114 kilometres per hour in Mumbai, the highest ever for any recent records.
At least six people died and 17 were injured in Maharashtra as Cyclone Tauktae lashed the coastal regions of the state, NDTV reported. One fisherman drowned and three others were missing after two boats capsized off Devgad in Sindhudurg, according to The Hindu. In Raigad and Thane districts, three and two people lost their lives, respectively.
The Maharashtra government has evacuated over 12,420 people from the coastal districts of Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Raigad to safer places.
The landfall process of Tauktae, which has now intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”, started around 8.30 pm on Monday and will continue for two hours, the India Meteorological Department said.
ESCS TAUKTAE lay centred at 1830 hrs IST near LAT 20.2°N & LONG. 71.3°E about 70KM SSE of DIU, 200KM WNW of Mumbai. To cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar & Mahuva (Bhahvnagar) east of DIU during the night (2000-2300 IST) of today with Max sustained wind speed of 155-165 KMPH. pic.twitter.com/TrPpvJVcvt
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) May 17, 2021
Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray tweeted on Monday evening, suggesting that wind speeds reached 114 kilometres per hour in Mumbai, the highest ever for any recent records.
Today’s cyclone hit windspeeds of 114 kmph, highest ever for Mumbai in any recent records. This is a climatic pattern that we have started studying, along with its maximum impact points, water logging areas and types of trees that are damaged.
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) May 17, 2021
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take stock of the situation, PTI reported. He also spoke to chief ministers of Gujarat and Goa and the lieutenant governor of Daman and Diu.
Mumbai’s suburbs received more than 120 millimeters of rainfall, while in Colaba the recorded rainfall was between 100 to 120 millimeters, PTI reported, quoting state government data. Commercial flight operations were impacted as several flights flying in and out of Mumbai were cancelled, diverted, and returned with the airport closing down flights between 11 am and 10 pm on Monday due to the cyclone.
Meanwhile civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said that some vaccination centres will resume operation over the next two days, after being shut on Monday.