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

8:23 AM

Covid-19 crisis: Over no response, states relax global vaccine tender norms

Having received no response in the initial round of global tenders floated to procure Covid-19 vaccines, states like Uttar Pradesh and the civic body of Mumbai are now relaxing the criteria for procurement. This comes even as a few more states like West Bengal and Bihar are considering floating similar tenders.

 

A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said they have extended the bid by one week. “We have extended the bid date by one week. We have received some queries. To increase broad participation we extended the expression of interest (EoI) date by a week to May 25,” the official said. Read on...

8:17 AM

Maharashtra, Gujarat CMs discuss impact of Cyclone Tauktae

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday held a conversation with his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani to discuss the impact of Cyclone Tauktae as the cyclonic storm made landfall in the neighbouring state late in the night a day earlier.

 

In a tweet by the Maharashtra CMO in the evening, it read, "This morning CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray spoke to Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani ji. They discussed the impact of Cyclone Tauktae on Maharashtra and Gujarat."

 

On May 17, Thackeray was closely monitoring the movement and the impact of the cyclone. "Vehicular movement is being restored after removing trees and electric poles that have fallen due to gusty winds. The CM also took stock of the damage to fishing boats. He also took stock of the interrupted Air and Rail services from the relevant departments", informed Thackeray's CMO.

 

As Cyclone Tauktae caused severe damage to property and lives, the Indian Navy has rescued a total of 180 personnel so far from Barge P-305.

7:31 AM

637 rescued; over 80 ONGC off-shore op staff missing, reports Indian Express

In one of the biggest off-shore search and rescue operations mounted by the Coast Guard and Navy, 637 men have been rescued from their vessels that went adrift in gale-force winds and high waves in the Arabian Sea during Monday’s Cyclone Tauktae, but the search is still on for at least 80 more men who are missing, officials said.

6:58 AM

Cyclone Tauktae to weaken gradually in next few hours: IMD

Cyclone Tauktae will move North-Northeastwards and weaken gradually into a deep depression in the next three hours, informed the India Meteorological Department on Wednesday.

 

While the Indian Navy continues to carry out its rescue operations near the Western coastline, the meteorological department in a tweet informed, "Deep Depression (Remnants of Tauktae) over Gujarat region lay centered at 2330 hours IST of the 18th May, 2021 is about 110 km north-northeast of Ahmedabad. It is likely to weaken gradually into a Depression during next 06 hours."

 

Cyclone tauktae has impacted the weather conditions in several parts of Northern India. Many areas like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi are like to witness rainfall in the coming few hours.

 

"Viratnagar, Kotputli, Khairthal, Bhiwari, Mahandipur Balaji, Mahawa, Nadbai, Nagaur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Deeg (Rajasthan) during next 2 hours", tweeted IMD.

6:00 AM

Cyclone Tauktae: Light to moderate rain to continue over adjoining areas of entire Delhi NCR

Light to moderate intensity rain and gusty winds with speed of 30-40 km/h would continue to occur over and adjoining areas of entire Delhi & NCR: IMD

5:26 AM

Cyclone Tauktae: PM Modi to visit Gujarat today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat and Diu today, to review the situation and damage caused due to Cyclone Tauktae. The prime minister will conduct an aerial survey of areas including Una, Diu, Jafarabad, and Mahuva. He will also hold a review meeting in Ahmedabad later.

5:25 AM

Cyclone Tauktae: India witnesses 4 consecutive years of pre-monsoon cyclones in the Arabian Sea

This is the first time since the start of satellite records in 1980 in India that there have been four consecutive years of pre-monsoon cyclones in the Arabian Sea.

2:25 AM

Cyclone Tauktae likely to weaken gradually into a depression during next 6 hours: IMD

1:28 AM

Cyclone Tauktae LIVE update

11:33 PM

Strong winds kill 4 people in Pakistan

Pakistan's biggest city Karachi was hit by gusty winds and a dust storm on Tuesday under the influence of Tauktae cyclone in the region which left four people dead.
 

At least 13 people were killed in Gujarat in India as the cyclone battered parts of the state and left behind a trail of destruction along the coast, uprooting electric poles and trees, and damaging several houses and roads.
 

Cyclone Tauktae hit Gujarat coast on Monday night as an "extremely severe cyclonic storm", bringing heavy rains to the state. Earlier, the cyclone had battered the entire west coast.
 

Rescue officials in Pakistan confirmed that at least four people were killed in roof collapse incidents after Karachi was hit by a dust storm followed by light rain in many parts of the city.
 

“The dust storm was caused due to the influence of the cyclone system being in southern Pakistan's vicinity combined with local weather conditions,” the met official said.
 

Karachi has been in the grip of a severe heat wave since the last three days with temperatures soaring up to 44 degrees Celsuis.
 

A rescue official said that two persons were killed in a low-lying area of the city when the roof of their house collapsed while two deaths were reported from the New Karachi area.
 

A Met department official said Karachi, despite being on the coastal belt, was saved from the brunt of the cyclone which has caused more damage and deaths in India.
 

11:32 PM

Scores missing at sea as cyclone pummels Indian coast, killing at least 29

The Indian Navy mounted a massive air and sea rescue mission on Tuesday for 79 oil workers and crew whose barge sank in heavy seas following a powerful cyclone that tore up the west coast killing at least 29 people.
 

Around 182 of those on board the barge, which sank off the coast of Mumbai, were rescued from the huge waves, the navy said.
 

Cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful storm to batter the west coast in two decades, ripped out power pylons, trees and caused house collapses killing at least 29 people, authorities said.
 

It has piled pressure on Indian authorities as they grapple with a massive rise in coronavirus infections and deaths as well as a shortage of beds and oxygen in hospitals.
 

"This is one of the most challenging search and rescue operations I have seen in the last four decades," Murlidhar Sadashiv Pawar, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, told Reuters partner ANI on Tuesday.
 

Navy spokesman Vivek Madhwal said waves reached 20 to 25 feet amid poor visibility. Three more barges were adrift near the Gujarat coast but rescue operations were underway.
 

The storm made landfall in Gujarat state late on Monday and was expected to weaken overnight into Wednesday, the Indian Meteorological Department said.

11:11 PM

Cyclone Tauktae: Heavy rains likely in Rajasthan

The cyclonic storm Tauktae could cause heavy rains in seven districts of Rajasthan on May 19, weather officials said on Tuesday.
 

The cyclone, expected to enter the state by late Tuesday night, will weaken by May 20, said Radhey Shyam Sharma, regional director of the meteorological department.
 

The seven districts likely to bear the brunt of it are Jalore, Sirohi, Udaipur, Pali, Dungarpur, Chittorgarh and Rajsamand in the southern part of the state.

Rainfall is also expected in parts of the Jaipur division, said Sharma.
 

The State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) has been deployed in the southern and the western districts to contain aftermaths of the cyclone, Additional DGP (Law and Order) Saurabh Srivastava said.
 

The SDRF and Rajasthan police have asked the range Inspector Generals of Police (IGs) of Jodhpur and Udaipur to keep a close eye on areas like Sirohi, Dungarpur, Jalore and Banswara.
 

“Because the cyclone is rapidly changing its course, we have also sent our teams near Pali,” Srivastava said.
 

Apart from southern Rajasthan, additional teams drawn from different units of Rajasthan police have been deployed in areas, which may get affected, he said.

Rescue teams are stationed in Raniwara, Bhinmal, and Mount Abu, he added.
 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, several places in Rajasthan recorded rainfall triggered by Tauktae cyclone during the last 24 hours.
 

10:52 PM

Adrift on out of control barge, crew faced harrowing time as cyclone raged

Crew members of the cargo barge GAL Constructor spent harrowing 72 hours in the Arabian sea before the vessel ran aground near Alibag, south of Mumbai, in the middle of cylconic storm Tauktae on Monday evening.
 

Luckily, all of them were rescued by the Indian Navy.
 

However, many on another barge, P-305 which was deployed to service ONGC's offshore operations closer to Mumbai were missing after they had to jump into choppy waters.
 

By Tuesday evening, 180 of its 261 crew members had been rescued, the Navy said.
 

Avinash Aadke, who was rescued from Gal Constructor, said the vessel was "out of control" for three days and help was being sought from the Coast Guard. But as the barge was anchored close to Alibag, the help was first redirected to other vessels.
 

"As our barge got damaged, they (the Navy) set aside everything else and came to our rescue," he said, speaking from a naval facility after landing in Mumbai.
 

10:52 PM

Maharashtra, Gujarat CMs discuss impact of cyclone Tauktae

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani on Tuesday discussed the impact of cyclone Tauktae, which made landfall in the neighbouring state late in the night a day earlier.
 

On its way to Gujarat, the cyclone brought heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds in Mumbai and other coastal districts of Maharashtra, resulting in the death of seven persons and damage to property.
 

"This morning CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray spoke to Gujarat CM @vijayrupanibjp Ji. They discussed the impact of Cyclone Tauktae on Maharashtra and Gujarat," the CMO here tweeted.
 

The landfall process of the eye of the cyclone, which hit the Gujarat coast in Saurashtra region between Diu and Una, ended around midnight.

10:51 PM

Tauktae tears up Gujarat coast; 13 dead, 16,000 houses damaged

As many as 13 people were killed in Gujarat as cyclone Tauktae pummelled parts of the state and left behind a trail of destruction along the coast, uprooting electric poles, trees and damaging thousands of houses and roads, officials said on Tuesday.
 

In what was one of the worst cyclones faced by the state, Tauktae triggered heavy rains in many parts along its way from the Saurashtra coast to North Gujarat with as many as 46 talukas receiving over 100 mm of downpour, while 12 of them recorded 150 mm to 175 mm of rains.
 

Tauktae, characterised as an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Monday, has now weakened into a "cyclonic storm" and will gradually become a "deep depression" as it moves northwards, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
 

Even as Tauktae's intensity weakened, it left behind a trail of destruction with as many as 13 people losing their lives in different parts of Gujarat, including Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Patan, Amreli and Valsad, officials said.
 

Over 16,000 houses were damaged, more than 40,000 trees and over 70,000 electric poles uprooted, while 5,951 villages faced total power blackout due to the cyclonic storm in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said.
 

In his media briefing, Rupani said officially the death toll due to the cyclone stood at 13.