Cyclone Tauktae has hit the coastal region of Karnataka resulting in heavy rain and gusty winds, especially in Dakshina Kannada district, where wind speed of around 75 km per hour was recorded, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said here on Saturday.
The IMD also predicted heavy to very heavy rain in few places adjoining Western Ghat region – Belagavi, Chikkamagaluru, Dakshin Kannada, Hassan, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts on Sunday.
‘Extremely heavy rainfall will occur in few places on Sunday,” the IMD said in its statement.
Under the influence, the coastal belt is likely to be bombarded by strong winds.
The IMD prediction indicates that cyclone Tauktae may further intensify into very severe Cyclonic Storm by Sunday evening. By the early hours of Monday, the cyclone could gather maximum sustained surface wind speeds up to 150-160 kmph, gusting to 175 kmph in various parts of the coastal region of Southern India and up to Gujarat’s coast.
On Friday, the IMD had already issued an orange alert over Coastal and South Interior Karnataka. This alert urges residents to ‘be prepared’ for rough weather.
Meanwhile, the fishermen have also been advised not to venture into the east-central Arabian Sea, along and off the Karnataka coast, from Friday onwards, uptill the rough sea conditions subside.
Fishermen have been asked to avoid heading to Arabian Sea till Tuesday, tourism activities have been restricted and necessary precautions have been advised for naval operations in anticipation of rough seas.
Navy’s rescue ships, aircraft, helicopters, diving and disaster relief teams are on standby for “rendering full support to state administrations as the cyclonic storm approaches Western coasts.
