Cyclone Tauktae, the biggest to hit the region in decades, made landfall in Gujarat at around 8.30 pm on Monday, packing winds with speeds of 155-165 kilometres per hour, gusting to 190 km/hour. After the landfall ended around midnight, the weather office downgraded the storm from 'extremely severe' to 'very severe'. It later said in a tweet that the cyclone was weakening further.
In a relief to the people, the IMD, in its tweet after midnight, also announced that Cyclone Tauktae has weakened into a "very severe cyclonic storm" from the "extremely severe cyclonic storm".
"The entire eye of the cyclone has now crossed the coast and lies over land. The rear sector of the eye is now entering the land" the IMD tweeted.
Meanwhile, flight operations at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, halted for hours due to the cyclone, have been resumed. The cyclone triggered strong winds with the highest-ever speed of 114 kilometres per hour in Mumbai.
At least six people were killed and several injured in Maharashtra as Cyclone Tauktae brushed past the state while eight people died in cyclone-affected coastal Karnataka.
The NDRF on Monday said it has evacuated thousands of stranded people in the last three days in Gujarat, Kerala and Daman and Diu in view of Cyclone Tauktae.
The major ports and airports have been shut in Gujarat as the most powerful cyclone in more than two decades roared up the west coast. The cyclone has left a trail of destruction as it brushed past the coastal states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, the authorities said.
Home Minister Amit Shah also reviewed the preparedness for Cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat, Maharashtra and two Union territories on Sunday and "specifically" stressed that all health facilities, including those for COVID-19 treatment, falling in the affected areas should be secured along with the patients.
Here are the Highlights on Cyclone Tauktae:
Gusty winds coupled with rains caused by very severe cyclonic storm Tauktae led to collpase of roofs of houses and uprooting of utility poles in Pune district of Maharashtra on Monday, officials said.
Three people sustained minor injuries, they said.
At least 190 instances of partial structural damage such as roof collapse, uprooting of poles etc have been reported in the district since Sunday.
A total of 90 people from Bhor tehsil were shifted to safer places due to gusty winds, as per the district disaster management cell (DDMC).
Operations at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport shall remain suspended from 7:30 pm on May 17 to 5 am on May 18 in view of the Cyclone Tauktae, informed the Ahmedabad Airport.
"Ahmedabad Airport is fully prepared for Cyclone Tauktae, and as a precautionary measure our operations will remain suspended from 7:30 pm, May 17 to 5 am May 18. We will keep you updated for further developments," Ahmedabad Airport tweeted on Monday.
The operations at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai was suspended till 10 pm on May 17 due to Cyclone Tauktae.
A powerful cyclonic system, Tauktae, is expected to make landfall in Gujarat late Monday after barrelling up the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean."
As many as 11 Indian Navy Diving Teams have been kept on standby and 12 flood rescue teams and medical teams have been earmarked for immediate response and deployment keeping in view of the cyclonic storm Tauktae.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting to review the preparedness and assistance being provided by the Armed Forces to civil authorities to tackle the situation arising out of Cyclone Tauktae.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, during the meeting, Singh was informed that 11 Indian Navy Diving Teams have been kept on standby in case of any request from authorities of affected states.
Cyclone Tauktae swept the coastal regions Maharashtra through the day today, battering districts like Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Mumbai, and Thane. PM Narendra Modi called Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take stock of the situation."
Coast Guard Ship Samarth responding to a distress call rescued 15 crew from a fishing boat named Milad off Goa Coast short while from now in a swift operation . All crew are safe and boat is being towed ashore for safety.
Raigad in coastal Maharashtra received 23.42 millimetres if rainfall till 9am on Monday in the wake of cyclone Tauktae, with the region also experiencing gusty winds since midnight that partially damaged 839 houses, a senior official said.
Authorities have shut Mumbai Airport till 4 pm as cyclone emerges