India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) latest notification on Tauktae, it has now become a “very severe cyclonic storm.” In view of safety of people, over 1.5 lakh people were evacuated from low-lying areas along India's western coast. The powerful Cyclone Tauktae is expected to make landfall in Gujarat by Monday evening.

The cyclone is likely to intensify even further in the next 24 hours before making the landfall in Gujarat. As cyclone Tauktae barrels towards Gujarat, at least six people have lost their lives, hundreds of houses were damaged. The trees and electricity poles were all uprooted. Other states than Gujarat like Kerala and Goa have been witnessing heavy rainfall, gale-force winds and high tidal waves as cyclone Tauktae nears. IMD warns of strong winds with speed reaching up to 90 km/per were lashing the western coastal region. As per the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD, by May 18 the wind speed is expected to increase to 150-160 km per hour, gusting up to 175 km per hour.

For safety concern, over 54 teams of the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Gujarat to manage the situation.

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