ReliefWeb

SITUATION UPDATE AND RESPONSE

Response and Relief

West Coast of India

A very severe cyclonic storm with winds gusting up to 185 km per hour began making landfall on the Gujarat coast Monday night. Over 1.5 lakh people have been evacuated safely in the state.

Humanitarian Preparedness

Government Preparedness and Response

1. Gujarat

• Over 1.5 lakh people have been evacuated safely in the state.

• Operations at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport remain suspended from 7:30 pm on May 17 to 5 am on May 18.

• Gujarat CM Shri reviewed the situation in the coastal Valsad and Gir Somnath districts through telephonic hotline from the State Control Centre late in the night and directed the collectors to deal with the situation with 'Zero Casualty' approach. PM spokr to CM on the related situation and preparedness in the State and assured all assistance and support from the Centre.

• In the wake of Tauktae, CM announced the suspension of Corona vaccination drive for the next two days i.e. May 17 & 18 - Monday & Tuesday, and urges citizens to remain indoors considering the possibility of heavy rains along with cyclone in the state.

1. Maharashtra

• The government took stock of the situation and reported death of 6 people and 17 injured in Maharashtra as Cyclone Tauktae, intensifying into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm.

• The airport was shut through the day and the Bandra-Worli sea link closed, as was the city monorail service. Temporary shelters have been set up across the city.

• Nearly 13,300 people were evacuated from danger zones across the state till around 6 pm.

• 193 COVID-19 patients admitted in a makeshift centre in Mumbai's Bandra-Kurla Complex had been shifted to other BMC-run hospitals due to the heavy rains that lashed the city.

• The police have been asked to maintain close coordination with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation officials ward-wise to implement mitigation measures.

• The Indian Navy on Monday deployed three of its frontline warships to rescue over 400 people onboard two barges off the Mumbai coast as cyclone Tauktae roared up the western coast. Navy officials said 38 people out of 137 onboard 'GAL Constructor' were rescued under extreme weather conditions and very rough seas.