India – The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) braces for impact at as cyclone Tauktae intensifies into a very severe cyclonic storm with potential to strengthening before it hits Gujurat, India on May 17.
With the Tauktae expected to pass close to Mumbai tomorrow, measures are being taken to protect against the potential storms. Gujarat coast is to be closed by Tuesday and over 500 Covid-19 patients are being shifted to hospitals in Mumbai. Southwestern Railway has cancelled several trains on route to Goa.
The cyclonic storm has hit Kerala with water levels rising in many dams. Hundred teams of the Indian National Disaster Response Force has been deployed to coastal regions of Gujarat, Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Four are dead and 73 villages affected across six districts in Karnataka.
Tauktae is also expected to impact eastern Pakistan if trends move back to the west. It could head towards the highly populated Karach, however, experts say that this is less likely to happen.
Tropical Cyclone Tauktae (pronounced Tau-te) continues to organize in the southeastern Arabian Sea as it moving up the western coast of India.
