New Delhi (NVI): Kerala was today lashed by heavy rainfall as deep depression intensified into a Cyclonic Storm “Tauktae” over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast & eastcentral Arabian Sea.
Red alert has been issued in eight districts of Kerala— Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Kozhikkode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasargod, due to likely formation of Cyclone.
According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), “Kerala is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places on May 14-15 and heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places on May 16 and 17.”
The fishermen are advised not to venture into southeast Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep – Maldives areas, east central Arabian Sea along & off Karnataka coast, eastcentral Arabian Sea and along & off Maharashtra – Goa coasts and into eastcentral& adjoining northeast Arabian Sea along & off Gujarat coast till 18th May, the IMD said.
The Cyclonic Storm “Tauktae” (pronounced as Tau’Te) over eastcentral and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea & Lakshadweep area moved nearly north-northwestwards with a speed of about 09 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 0530 hours IST of May 15, over eastcentral and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea near latitude 12.5°N and longitude 72.5°E, about 160 km north-northwest of Amini Divi, 350 km south- southwest of Panjim-Goa, 960 km south-southeast of Veraval (Gujarat) and 1050 km south-southeast of Karachi (Pakistan), it said.
The IMD has also issued yellow alert for Gujarat and Diu coasts as the cyclonic storm likely to move north-northwestwards and reach near Gujarat coast May 18 in the morning, which may cause heavy rainfall across the region.
