Tauktae, most severe cyclone in the past two decades, to make landfall in Gujarat between 8 and 11 pm Monday

Cyclone Tauktae is likely to make a landfall in Gujarat on Monday night between Porbandar and Mahua in Bhavnagar district in Saurashtra region from 8 pm to 11 pm as a "Very Severe Cyclonic Storm" with wind speeds of around 155 to 165 km per hour with an intensity of 185 km per hour, the latest bulletin released by India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Following instructions from IMD, the Gujarat Maritime Board, the regulatory body of ports in the state, issued hoisting of warning signal-10 at ports falling in the direction of the Cyclone. According to government officials, the Cyclone looks "extremely dangerous" and may be as devastating as the Cylcone in1998.

Coastal districts such as Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir-Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar and Devbhumi Dwarka are likely to be worst affected. Besides, Botad, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Anand and Ahmedabad districts will be impacted.

In view of the approaching cyclone, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani told reporters that 1.5 lakh people have already been shifted from low-lying areas to safer places in 930 shelter homes and all 1,400 designated Covid-19 hospitals have been asked to keep power backup in case of power cuts due to the storm. Pankaj Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue and Home, said in a statement that people had been shifted to safer places from 655 villages of 17 districts which are likely to be affected.

"Keeping in mind all the possibilities in view of the approaching storm, government is prepared to manage the crisis. We have shifted maximum people from coastal areas which are likely to be affected due to strong wind and heavy rains. So far, 1.5 lakh people from these areas have been shifted to safer locations. I appeal to people who are living along the coastline not to venture out," Rupani told reporters.

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He said that the state is going through an "extraodinary time" caused by coronavirus infection and cyclonic storm brewing in the Arabian sea. He said that 444 medical teams, 174 ICU on wheels and 607 emergency medical service ambulances have been put on stand-by mode to take care of any situation that might arise due to the storm. In Covid-19 hospitals. staff have been trained and oxygens reserves and power backups have been arranged to tackle any crisis."

A government statement said that that 44 teams of NDRF and 10 teams of SDRF have been deployed for rescue operations. Besides, local police, coastguard and fire brigade officials have also been deputed for assistance. The army, air force and navy have also been instructed to be on stand-by. The government's note added that nearly 2,800 hoardings have removed from urban and rural areas to avoid any untoward incident in view of the cyclone.