Cyclone Tauktae
Amidst the second wave of Covid-19, a severe cyclonic storm by the name of Tauktae hits India in its hour of misfortune. Being the first cyclonic storm of the year, it hit parts of Kerela, Karnataka, Goa, and parts of Maharashtra.
The winds are at a speed of 50-60kmph gusting to 70kmph along and off Karnataka-Kerala coastline on Sunday warned the Met department.
According to local sources, the storm moved in a Northwest direction and reached Goa by late afternoon on Sunday. Heavy rain, gusty winds, high tides will continue for the rest of the day.
The torrential rain and high tidal waves that hit Kerala, killed two people in the process while uprooting trees, disrupting power supplies. This had led the state government to move hundreds of families to relief camps despite infection concerns of Covid-19.
“Due to Cyclone Tauktae, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was observed over 6 districts, 3 coastal districts, and 3 Malnad districts in the past 24 hours. So far, 4 people have lost their lives, 73 villages affected,” Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority said.
Several houses close to the sea in districts like Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Alappuzha have been partially or completely damaged by the impact of the cyclone, while they moved to relief camps abandoning their homes.
“Cyclone Tauktae is very likely to intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next 12 hours and intensify further. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and reach Gujarat coast in the morning of 18th and cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya around 18th May Afternoon/evening”, the IMD (Indian Meteorological Department) said in its latest update. It has issued an “orange alert” which means heavy to very rainfall to be experienced at Konkan and hilly areas if western Maharastra, mainly Kolhapur and Satara on Sunday and Monday.
The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) shifted 580 patients from BKC (243), Dahisar (183), and Mulund (154) jumbo covid-19 facilities to state and civic-run hospitals in Mumbai. It is also thinking of closing the Bandra Worli Sea Link.
While the states are on high vigil with transport services being suspended, the emergency team is on the lookout for possible after-effects.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has increased the number of relief teams from 53 to 100, which are then mobilized in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Goa, and Maharastra. 48 teams out of these are pre-deployed while keeping 20 on standby. An additional 32 teams are kept on backup.
The Indian Air Force has also announced to focus on covid relief operations in the affected coastal areas. It has kept 18 helicopters and 16 transport aircraft for providing relief.
On Saturday, May 15th, 2021, PM Narendra Modi reviewed preparations to deal with the impending Cyclone Tauktae according to an official press note. He also called for ensuring maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunication, health, and drinking water along with restoration of these services in the event of damage.
Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa asked district-in-charge, deputy commissioners to visit affected areas and carry out rescue work on Sunday.
CM Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray will attend a meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss Maharastra’s preparedness for Cyclone Tauktae.
It is now upon these states to tackle the covid crisis along with this horrific cyclonic storm. But who should be held responsible for the lives that were lost and the damages that took place, one begs to question.
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News source: News18, Indian Express, TOI, LiveMint, NDTV
Update by Ayush Ray