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.

 

Out of the 53 teams, he said, 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 equipments.

 

As per the Indian Metrological Department (IMD) and advisories issued by some of these costal States, a pressure area had formed over the south-east Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep area on Thursday. “It will concentrate into a depression over the same region by Saturday morning and intensify into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours,” the IMD said in the warning report.

 

It is very likely to intensify further and move north-north-westwards Gujarat and adjoining Pakistan coasts. The advisory said the cyclonic storm is likely to reach near the Gujarat coast around May 18 evening. The name ‘Tauktae’ has been given by Myanmar which means ‘gecko’. This is going to be the first cyclonic storm of this year along the Indian coast.

 

Meanwhile, as many as 142 fishing boats returned to the shore on Friday amid IMD warning about a cyclonic storm that is likely to hit parts of Mumbai and Konkan by May 16, an official said. Heavy rains and sea incursion: Kerala on high vigil Kerala put on high alert: IN VIEW of heavy rainfall warning, Kerala was put on high alert on Friday with the Government opening relief camps and shifting people living in low-lying areas to safer places as rains were lashing several parts of the State since Thursday night.

 

The shutters of the Aruvikkara dam here were opened on Thursday night due to heavy inflow and continuous downpour resulted in the Karamana and Killi rivers in the state capital to overflow. Several people, living on the banks of these rivers, and low-lying areas were shifted to safer places and relief camps as a precautionary measure, authorities here said. Overnight rains led to waterlogging and uprooting of trees in many parts of southern Kollam district.

 

High waves and sea incursion damaged several houses in coastal hamlets of Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts since Thursday night. Chellanam, a coastal village in Ernakulam, was one of the several places which suffered the wrath of rough sea since Thursday. Several houses were damaged as sea water seeped in due to high tidal waves, local people complained.

 

Sea erosion was reported at Velinakode in Ponnani in Malappuram district and Kasaba in Kozhikode. According to Rekha Nambiar, Commandant, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), as a precautionary measure, nine teams of NDRF have been sent to Kerala. “In Wayanad and Idukki districts, which are prone to landslides, we have sent equipment which would be required in case of landslides,” she said. She also said they were taking all precautions in view of COVID-19. A total of 3,071 buildings have been identified to be converted as relief camps.