Cyclone Tauktae nears landfall in Gujarat as a powerful storm

May 17th, 2021 at 15:36 PM

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2 years ago

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Cyclone Tauktae nears Powerful Landfall on Gujarat

Cyclone Tauktae slightly weakened over the past hours as it approaches Gujarat and makes the strongest landfall in the state in 23 years. It currently has 1-min winds of 195 kph (120 mph) and a central pressure of 944 Mb. The Indian Meteorological Department has the storm at 3-min winds of 185 kph (115 mph) gusting to 205 kph. Tauktae likely to weaken as it approaches landfall in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district.

Heavy rains brought by Tauktae prompted IMD to hoist rainfall warnings over Konkan and adjoining Madhya Maharashtra, Gurirat, and Rajasthan. Storm surge warning of about 3-4 meters over districts of Amreli, Gir Somnath, Diu, and Bhavnagar; 2-3 meters over Braruch, and southern parts of Ahmedabad; 1-2 meters over Surat, Navsari, and Valsad; and 0.5-1 meter over the remaining coastal districts of Gujarat at the time of landfall.

Strong rain and wind, and high waves affected the Western States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, with a similar situation expected in Gujarat as the Tauktae approach landfall. More than 150,000 people in low-lying areas in these states have already been moved to shelters. Rescue operation operated by Indian Navy as two barges with 410 people adrift Mumbai.

Trees and electric poles uprooted making land travel difficult. Winds of 114 kph were recorded around 2 pm local time in Mumbai, with a station in North Konkan recorded winds up to 100 kph. The weather station in Coloba recorded winds of 111 kph and 157 mm of rain in five hours.

Sources:
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/586949491039666207/843833681763237908/TAUKTAE_SITREP.png
https://mausam.imd.gov.in/imd_latest/contents/cyclone.php#.
https://www.ndtv.com/mumbai-news/cyclone-tauktae-barge-with-273-on-board-adrift-near-mumbai-as-cyclone-approaches-2443367
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/cyclone-tauktae-live-updates-gujarat-kerala-diu-mumbai-rains-7316979/
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57139989

Featured image by INSAT-3DR