Railways puts cyclone emergency response teams on alert

The railways on Monday said its emergency response teams and vehicles are on high alert in view of Cyclone Tauktae intensifying into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”. The cyclonic storm over the Arabian Sea led to very strong winds blowing at a speed of 114 kmph in Mumbai Monday afternoon, civic officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclone Tauktae has now intensified into an “extremely severe cyclonic storm”, and is likely to reach Gujarat coast by Monday evening and cross the state coast between 8 pm and 11 pm.

The Ministry of Railways, in a press statement, said the zonal and divisional control rooms are monitoring the situation and are constantly in touch with all railway stations in Southern Railway, South Western Railway, Konkan Railway, Central Railway and Western Railway.

Railway divisions and zones are also in constant touch with state governments to monitor and plan for any contingency, it said.