8 killed as cyclone Tauktae pounds coast, Malnad

At least eight people were killed in Karnataka after cyclone Tauktae pounded coastal and Malnad districts with heavy rain and gusty winds on Sunday.

The state government scrambled around 1,000 personnel for rescue and relief efforts in the coastal districts as the very severe cyclonic storm cut a swathe of destruction, damaging houses, public property, uprooting trees and electric poles.

Cases of severe sea erosion were also reported from the coast.

In a tragic incident, a tugboat ‘Alliance’ capsized on Saturday in high seas off Mangaluru coast. Three of the eight-member crew were rescued by locals after they floated ashore using tubes but two were found dead, while three are still missing.

The official death figures released by the State Disaster Management Authority on Sunday evening was four, which is yet to include the deaths of ‘Alliance’ crew. Apart from it, an old woman and her grandchild died at Itagi in Belagavi district when the house wall collapsed due to heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Also read: Cyclone leaves behind a trail of destruction

The tugboat ‘Alliance’ was under contract with the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) to assist in offloading crude from Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC).

Mangaluru Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V said despite warning from the IMD, it was not clear why the tug failed to return to shore on May 14 after completing work of VLCC crude discharge.

Manoj Rajan, Commissioner of SDMA, citing survivors, said that a few crew members were sheltered at the boat bunker before it capsized. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Coastal Security Police (CSP) will survey the wreck to check for any survivors on Monday.

In a second incident involving tugboats, nine members of ‘Coromondel’ were stuck in the boat at Mulki Rocks, located four miles away from Mulki coast near Mangaluru.

With waves rising to six metres and wind speed above 25 knots (46 kph), the ICG and CSP were yet to rescue the crew. “ICG’s vessel INS Varaha is just 500 metres away from Mulki Rocks and is closely monitoring the situation,” Coastal Security Police SP R Chethan told DH.

Also read: Rainfall in Karnataka expected to continue till May 20: IMD

The tugboat had adequate essentials and all crew members were seen wearing life jackets. They had sent a video appealing for help, which went viral on social media.

Sources said the Coromondel’s contract with the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) had ended six months ago. After the rescue operations, the NMPT will have to submit a report on why the tug was anchored at port and not shifted to safe place despite cyclone warning, sources added.

State authorities have also requested Indian Navy for a helicopter to rescue the crew, which will be deployed from Goa as soon as weather permits.

According to IMD, heavy rainfall is forecast for parts of the state even as the intensity of Tauktae subsided as it moved northward towards the Gujarat coast. Widespread to fairly widespread rainfall is likely in Karnataka during the course of the week.