Mumbai: As the cyclone intensified over the Financial capital of the country, 2 barges with 410 people on board have gone adrift off the Mumbai coast. Cyclone “Tauktae” intensified into a storm and is expected to reach Gujrat coast by evening.
A navy spokesperson said,” On receipt of a request for assistance for Barge ‘P305’ adrift off Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High area with 273 personnel onboard, warship INS Kochi was sailed with a dispatch for Search and Rescue (SAR) assistance.” He further informed that several other ships are on the upfront for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) tasking in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae that has wreaked havoc along the West coast of India.
“In response to another SOS received from Barge ‘GAL Constructor’ with 137 people onboard about 8 nautical miles from Mumbai, warship INS Kolkata has been sailed with dispatch to render assistance,” the spokesperson reported.
Adjoining district Raigad is also pronounced an orange alert zone along with Mumbai.
Local train services of the Central Railway were disrupted between suburban Ghatkopar and Vikhroli.
As Mumbai continued to be battered with heavy rains, over 12,000 citizens were relocated to safer places from the coastal areas. These include 8,380 people in Raigad, 3,896 in Ratnagiri and 144 in Sindhudurg districts.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday took stock of the situation in Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts of the state in the wake of the cyclonic storm.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday took stock of the situation in Mumbai, Thane and other coastal districts of the state in the wake of the cyclonic storm.