More than 13,000 to 14,000 persons living near the coast have been shifted to safer locations as the cyclone Tauktae hit the coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra on Monday.
Cloudy weather prevailed in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, with drizzles and strong winds being reported.
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport has decided to shut operations between 1100 hours and 2000 hours because of cyclone alert and weather advisories of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Scores of trees were uprooted in South Konkan districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg and some houses were damaged.
In Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and North Konkan districts of Raigad, Palghar and Thane, over 13,000 to 14,000 people living along the coast of Arabian Sea has been shifted to safety, reports reaching here said.
During the last two days, over 500 fishing boats have returned to safety.
The whirling cyclone is moving toward the Gujarat coast creating havoc in Maharashtra's coastal areas as gale-force winds, rains, and tidal waves lash the shores.
In parts of the MMR excluding Mumbai, power cuts were reported as part of precautionary measures.
(Published 17 May 2021, 16:43 IST)
JOIN US