Cyclone Tauktae LIVE: PM announces Rs 1,000-cr relief package for Gujarat

Cyclone Tauktae LIVE updates: Stay tuned with Business Standard on cyclone Tauktae landfall, cyclone alert, weather updates and more

6:49 PM

Cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat wreaks havoc on crops; mango, banana plantations worst-hit

Cyclone Tauktae, which claimed the lives of 45 persons in Gujarat, has also caused a huge damage to standing summer crops, with the Kesar variety of mango that is mainly grown in the coastal districts of Gir Somnath and Junagadh, bearing its brunt along with the coconut and banana plantations in parts of the state, farmers said.

 

Coconut plantations in Junagadh, Gir Somnath, parts of Amreli and Bhavnagar, and banana plantations in Bharuch, Tapi, Vadodara, Anand and parts of Kheda, among other districts, were badly hit, in addition to other standing summer crops, they said.

 

Hundreds of mango trees were uprooted in plantations across Junagadh, Gir Somnath and Valsad districts, with nearly all the mangoes falling to the ground from the trees in the cyclone that made a landfall Monday night, the growers said.

6:30 PM

PM announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin of those killed, Rs 50,000 for those injured in affected states

PM Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for kin of those killed and Rs 50,000 for those injured due to Cyclone Tauktae in all affected states

6:29 PM

PM Modi announces Rs 1,000 crore for immediate relief in cyclone- hit Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for immediate relief measures in the areas hit by cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat, an official release said.

 

He also announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia compensation for the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured in cyclone-related incidents in all states affected by Tauktae.

 

The Prime Minister approved the help package after holding a review meeting here with Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and top officials to assess the damage caused by the cyclone.

6:21 PM

M V Denali anchored off Tarapur in Maharashtra, all crew safe: Indian Coast Guard

5:52 PM

Cyclone Tauktae aerial survey: NCP asks if PM Modi 'singling out' Gujarat; Sanjay Raut takes dig

The NCP, which is one of the constituents of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), on Wednesday wondered whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aerial survey of the cyclone-hit areas in Gujarat and Diu amounted to discrimination against Maharashtra which too was affected by the cyclonic storm.

 

Taking a dig, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the PM was not conducting an aerial survey of the cyclone-hit areas in Maharashtra because he knew that the state is led by a strong chief minister unlike in his home state Gujarat. READ MORE...

5:40 PM

Cyclone Tauktae: Rs 200,000 ex-gratia for the next of kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured, says PMO

Rs 200,000 ex-gratia for the next of kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured due to 'Cyclone Tauktae' would be given to all those affected across India. PM also takes stock of Covid-19 situation in Gujarat: Prime Minister's Office

5:37 PM

PM conducts aerial survey of cyclone-hit areas in Gujarat, holds review meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday conducted an aerial survey of areas affected by cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat and adjoining Union Territory of Diu and held a meeting with top officials here later to review the situation.

 

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, state Chief Secretary Anil Mukim and Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Pankaj Kumar were among those who attended the meeting held at GUJSAIL Complex at Ahmedabad Airport, officials said. READ ON...

5:17 PM

Low-pressure may intensify into cyclonic storm, hit West Bengal, Odisha

A low-pressure area is very likely to form over North Andaman Sea and adjoining east central Bay of Bengal on May 22 and intensify into a cyclonic storm, the Met Department said here on Wednesday.

 

The system is very likely to move northwestwards and reach West Bengal-Odisha coasts around May 26 evening, Regional Met Director GK Das said. The low-pressure area, after formation on May 22, is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 72 hours.

5:17 PM

Cyclone Tauktae LIVE: PM Modi holds a review meeting in Ahmedabad to assess the situation

5:01 PM

Cyclone Tauktae LIVE: PM Modi announces financial assistance of Rs 1,000 crore for Gujarat

4:38 PM

Mining should resume immediately as Goa's plight compounded by destruction by Tauktae: GMPF

Goa Mining People's Front, an umbrella body of mining dependents, on Wednesday said it has appealed to the Supreme Court for immediate resumption of mining in Goa in the wake of plight of the state being further compounded by the destruction caused by the severe cyclonic storm Tauktae.

 

Mining in Goa came to a standstill in March 2018 when the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases.

 

"Gram panchayats of Goa under the aegis Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF) have appealed to the Supreme Court for immediate resumption of mining in Goa as the state is witnessing a grave situation and extra ordinary circumstances," the umbrella body of mining dependents said in a statement.

3:54 PM

Cyclone Tauktae impact: 22 dead, 65 missing from barge; 186 rescued

At least 22 personnel on board accommodation barge P305 that went adrift in Cyclone Tauktae fury before sinking in the Arabia Sea off Mumbai coast are dead and 65 still missing, a Navy official said on Wednesday.

 

The Navy said its personnel, battling extreme weather, have so far rescued 186 of the 273 people who were onboard barge P305 and also two from tugboat Varaprada.

 

"Search and rescue operations are still on and we haven't lost hopes of bringing them ashore," an official said. However, the chance of finding survivors is getting bleaker as the hours pass by, he added. READ MORE...

3:37 PM

PM spoke to senior officials and took stock of operations being undertaken to rescue personnel on ONGC barge

PM Narendra Modi spoke to senior officials and took stock of the operations being undertaken to rescue personnel on the ONGC barge: ANI

3:21 PM

Cyclone Tauktae LIVE: Search operation underway for 73 crew members of Barge P305, says Indian Coast Guard

Search operation is underway for 73 crew members of Barge P305. Our ships and aircrafts are making all possible efforts to rescue all of them: Indian Coast Guard Inspector General KR Suresh

3:12 PM

Cyclone Tauktae LIVE: 188 survivors rescued so far, says Indian Navy