Cyclone Tauktae further intensified into an ‘Extremely Severe Cyclone’ category (wind speed 180 – 190 kms / hr) on Monday morning as it presently rages past the Maharashtra coast and has inched closer to Mumbai.
The cyclone is most likely to hit the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva in Bhavnagar district on Monday night anytime between 8pm – 11pm as a Very Severe Cyclone (150 – 160 km/hr).
Some areas along Goa and Maharashtra coast reported extremely heavy rain during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Heavy rain pounded Ratnagiri which reported 363.7mm between Sunday 5.30pm and 8.30am on Monday. Other stations which recorded rainfall include Harnai (77mm), Kolhapur (40.1mm), Satara (35.2mm) and Alibag (31.4mm).
As per the latest available storm position at 5.30am of Monday, the officials at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that cyclone Tauktae was located 160 kms west-southwest of Mumbai, 290 kms south-southeast of Veraval, 250kms south-southeast of Diu and 840kms of south-southeast of Karachi, Pakistan.
The latest satellite image indicating the position of cyclone Tauktae.The entire Konkan, parts of Madhya Maharashtra and southern and coastal districts of Gujarat including Porbandar, Junagarh, Valsad, Rajkot and Amreli remain on high alert.
Gujarat coast will experience gale winds with speeds 70 to 80 km/hr gusting to 90 km/hr on Monday. The maximum wind impact and storm surge will be experienced along coasts of Junagarh, Gir, Somnath, Amreli and Bhavnagar where winds with speed upto 185 km / hr is forecast all through Monday.
Dardra, nagar Haveli, Daman, Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Surendranagar districts too shall come under the influence of the approaching storm with winds of 80 to 90km/hr gusting to 100km/hr likely to prevail till Tuesday.
The track and landfall track of cyclone TauktaeThe Extremely Severe Cyclone Tauktae brought winds packing with speeds between 80 to 90kms / hr gusting to 100km/hr along the north coast of Maharashtra since Monday morning.
As of 12.30pm on Monday, the cyclone Tauktae was located 120 kms west of Mumbai.
Since Monday morning, Mumbai and several districts in north Konkan, including Palghar, reported heavy rain which has continued since dawn. As the storm inches closer, Mumbai is expected to receive heightened rainfall after 3pm. Latest observations from Mumbai (Colaba) recorded winds raging with speed 102km/hr
The cyclone will cause extremely heavy rainfall (over 204mm) over Saurashtra, Diu and adjoining areas in the coming hours on Monday as the landfall nears.
The cyclone is most likely to hit the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva in Bhavnagar district on Monday night anytime between 8pm – 11pm as a Very Severe Cyclone (150 – 160 km/hr).
