Cyclone ALERT: Tauktae emerging into very severe cyclone, says IMD; PM Modi to review preparations

The densely populated cities beside the Sea and warm conditions of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal further aids the development of cyclones and resultant damage. (Credit: The Indian Express)

The Tauktae cyclone, which the IMD had warned against on Friday, is turning into a very severe cyclone with the progression of time, and it is expected to hit the western coast in the next 24 hours with ferocious winds, the IMD has said. The Weather department informed that the deep low-pressure area around Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea is going to further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours. The Weather forecaster also said that the storm will bring along very heavy rain in various places which fall on the Western Coast of the country, All India Radio reported.

Meanwhile, taking cognisance of the developing Tauktae situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet top officials to review the preparations of the government to deal with the emerging cyclone. The meeting to be chaired by PM Modi will see officials from the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and other top officials of the government, news agency ANI reported.

The IMD had yesterday warned that the low-pressure area developing over Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea will likely result into a tropical cyclone which will be named Tauktae. The Weather body had said that the states which are likely going to be affected include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat in addition to the Lakshadweep islands. The IMD had also said that the intensity of the cyclone will be increasing as it progresses from the southern parts of the Western coast and inches towards Gujarat coast. Taking a cue from the IMD warning, the National Disaster Response Force has already readied a total of 53 teams to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone. While a number of teams has already been deployed in the Kerala state and Lakshadweep region, the NDRF has kept another set of teams on standby to be rapidly deployed as the cyclone progresses.

India is no stranger to intense tropical cyclones as the extremely large Peninsular region of the country having a long Eastern coast and Western Coast has faced a number of tropical cyclones in the past with the Odisha cyclone of 1999 being the most severe. The densely populated cities beside the Sea and warm conditions of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal further aids the development of cyclones and resultant damage.