The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday, 17 May, said it rescued 12 fishermen stranded around 35 nautical miles off the Kochi coast amid rough seas due to the incoming Cyclone Tauktae on Sunday night.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Tauktae has turned into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm" and is expected to hit the Gujarat coast by Monday evening.
“Indian fishing boat Jesus stranded 35 nautical miles off Kochi. ICG ship Aryaman rescued the boat with 12 crew. Boat taken under tow by the ICG ship braving rough seas and brought to Kochi on May 16 night. All crew safe and healthy.”Indian Coast Guard
The IMD, which had earlier not predicted that Tauktae would intensify into an "extremely severe cyclonic storm", said its rapid intensification happened in the early hours of Monday. It now has a wind speed of 180-190 kmph, gusting to 210 kmph.
Cyclone Tauktae's intensity will reduce when it hits the Gujarat coast on Monday evening, according to the IMD.
Nine People Rescued in Joint Operation
In another operation, the Indian Coast Guard, with the help of the Indian Navy, rescued nine people on-board a tug boat named Coromandel, who were stranded off Mulki rocks in Karnataka. While four people were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard ship, four of them were airlifted by the Indian Navy.
Indian Naval ALH helicopter has rescued four seamen stranded on-board the Tug Coromondal Supporter XI, which had run aground close to the coast of New Mangalore.
Five of them were rescued by boat, Manoj Rajan, Special commissioner, Disaster Management, said, adding that the seamen were provided medical emergency treatment at Mangaluru airport.
“#CycloneTauktae in a coordinated operation by @IndiaCoastGuard & @IndianNavy all the 9 crew of Tug Coromandal supporter IX grounded off Mulki rocks #Karnataka were saved. While 5 crew were rescued by #ICG ship Varaha Gemini boat, 4 were airlifted by IN ALH,” the Indian Coast Guard tweeted.
The Indian Meteorological Department had issued an advisory to fishermen, asking them to return to the coast in view of Cyclone Tauktae.
According to reports, six persons have died so far in separate incidents across coastal and central Karnataka due to heavy rains and gusty winds triggered by Cyclone Tauktae in the last 24 hours, an official had said on Sunday.
Of the six who perished in the rain-related incidents, two drowned when their tugboat capsized on the high seas in Dakshina Kannada district. In the other incident, a fisherman died near Karwar in Uttar Kannada, as he was towing his boat to the shore when another boat floating in the sea crashed on him from behind due to strong winds and heavy rains.
Cyclone Tauktae is currently over east central Arabian Sea. The storm is expected to cross over Gujarat coast late on May 17, as a very severe cyclonic storm and a red warning has been issued for Gujarat and Daman and Diu coasts. Forty-four teams of NDRF, SDRF, police, and fire brigade teams have been deployed in Gujarat coastal districts that are expected to be hit by the severe cyclonic storm. Mumbai and Goa have also been facing torrential rains due to the cyclone.
(This article was first published in The News Minute and has been republished with permission. You can read the article here.)
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