Cyclone Tauktae: Cabinet Secretary reviews preparedness, 101 NDRF teams deployed across states

NEW DELHI: The National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) has deployed a total of 101 teams across the states that will most likely be affected due to Cyclone Tauktae. As many as 79 teams, along with 22 on standby have been deployed. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard, along with ships and aircraft have also been deployed.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary, Rajiv Gauba met on Sunday to review the preparedness of Central and State Ministries/Agencies to deal with Cyclonic Storm 'Tauktae' in the Arabian Sea.

Director-General of the Indian Meteorological Department said that cyclone is expected to reach the Gujarat Coast in the morning of May 18 (Tuesday) with wind speeds ranging from 150 to 160 km/hour, accompanied by squally winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge in the coastal districts of the state.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretaries of the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and advisors to the administrators of the Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

The incoming cyclone has intensified into a "very severe cyclonic storm" over the east-central Arabian Sea and is very likely to intensify further during the next 12 hours, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday morning.

At least four people have lost their lives and 73 villages across six districts in Karnataka have been affected amid the intensification of Cyclone Tauktae, said the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a review meeting with the Chief ministers and administrators of States and union territories to deal with the situation arising out of cyclone Tauktae.