Cyclone Tauktae: Torrential rains, heavy winds destroy houses

More than 100 houses have been damaged badly, over 500 trees have fallen down in Goa as Cyclonic storm Tauktae has intensified into a “very severe" cyclonic storm.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Tauktae is likely to cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Bhavnagar district around early morning on May 18. Though the cyclonic storm is heading towards the coast of Gujarat, it is causing continuous downpour and gusty winds in Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.

According to the reports, Cyclone Tauktae uprooted trees and snapped power lines as it passed by Goa on Sunday morning accompanied by ferocious winds leading to disruption of rail and road traffic.

According to IMD, after landfall, Cyclone Tauktae will weaken rapidly and travel inland north-eastwards. However, along the course, substantial rainfall will be experienced across north India. The remnants of the storm will cause rains in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Uttarakhand until Thursday.

In the wake of the cyclonic storm, Indian Railways has cancelled or short terminated some trains. Fishing operations have been totally suspended over east central and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea and along and off Kerala-Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra coasts.