Cyclone Tauktae Hits Gujarat, Landfall Process To Continue Till 11 PM: IMD

Cyclone Tauktae hit Gujarat on Monday evening, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said adding that the landfall process will continue till 11 pm.

The storm has been classified as a "very severe cyclonic storm”.

The Gujarat government evacuated 1.5 lakh people living in the coastal areas of the state.

A total of 44 teams of the National Disaster Response Force along with personnel of the police and local officials have been deployed along the Gujarat coast in various districts.

According to the IMD, cyclone Tauktae, is likely to cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva, around 20 km east of the Union territory of Diu between 9 pm and 11 pm on Monday with a maximum sustained wind speed of 155-165 kmph.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening called up Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and took stock of the preparations made the state government.

The prime minister assured the state government of all possible help to deal with the situation.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday evening called up Chief Minister Vijay Rupani over the phone and sought details of preparation by the state government to deal with cyclone Tauktae," the Chief Minister's Office said in a release.

The chief minister apprised the PM about the precautionary steps being taken by the state government to tackle the situation, it said.

(With PTI inputs)