Cyclone Tauktae moving fast towards Gujarat

Mumbai/Ahmedabad: Cyclonic storm Tauktae had intensified and was heading towards the coast of Gujarat and the Union Territory of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday evening.

The storm is very likely to intensify further into a "very severe cyclonic storm" by late Saturday night, the IMD said, adding it was very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya around May 18 afternoon. As it would bring very heavy rainfall in that region, cities like Mumbai would not be affected much, the IMD added.

There will be strong winds and heavy rainfall at isolated places on May 17 over north Konkan, including Mumbai, the IMD said. The Maharashtra capital can expect showers from Sunday afternoon, said Shubhani Bhute, senior director (weather) IMD, Mumbai. The storm is currently 250 km south-west of Goa, she added.

"Goa alongwith Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts of Maharashtra would be mostly affected in terms of showers and gusty winds," Bhute said, adding the wind speeds would be around 60 to 70 kmph.

The IMD has issued an `orange alert' which means heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over entire Konkan and hilly areas of western Maharashtra, mainly Kolhapur and Satara on Sunday and Monday, she said.

In Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the preparedness of states, central ministries and agencies concerned to deal with the situation arising out of cyclone Tauktae and asked them to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely evacuated.