53 NDRF Teams Deployed to Render Cyclone Tauktae Effects; Cyclone May Intensify in 12 Hours Reports IMD

Mumbai: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has earmarked 53 teams to tackle possible after-effects of cyclone ‘Tauktae’ that is developing in the Arabian Sea, a senior officer said on Friday. NDRF Director General S N Pradhan said in a tweet that these teams are being deployed in the coastal regions of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

IMD raised an alert in the coastal states as a pressure area had formed over the South-east Arabian sea adjoining the Lakshadweep area. The report stated,” It will concentrate into a depression over the same region by Saturday morning and intensify into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours.”

Out of the 53 teams, NDRF Director reported, 24 have been pre-deployed or stationed on the ground while the rest are on stand-by. A single NDRF team comprises about 40 personnel and they are armed with tree and pole cutters, boats, basic medical aid and other relief and rescue equipment.

Very heavy rainfall causing landslides and flash floods is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday over the coastal districts of Kerala, Karnataka and Goa till Sunday and Saurashtra, Kutch in Gujarat. Low lying areas have been flagged red and orange alerts. A spokesperson from the Navy reported ships aircraft, helicopters, diving and disaster relief teams on standby for “rendering full support to state administrations as the cyclonic storm approaches western coasts.

Over 300 people have been relocated from disaster-prone areas to relief camps. The name ‘Tauktae’ has been given by Myanmar meaning ‘gecko’. This will be the first cyclonic storm of this year along the Indian coast.