Cyclone Tauktae, classified as an ‘Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm’, is expected to make landfall in Gujarat today evening.
Travelling at over 180kmph this morning, Tauktae’s forecast includes moderate to heavy rain, strong winds, and turbulent seas for India’s western coast. Travel is bound to be affected—as a result, the Western Railways has cancelled several trains from Gujarat to Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and a few other states.
Cancellations began from this Saturday, and services slated for May 18, 19, 20 and 21 have been halted for passenger safety.
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Here’s the full list of impacted services:
Trains cancelled for May 18
> 09116 Bhuj – Dadar
> 09456 Bhuj – Bandra Terminus
> 02946 Okha – Mumbai Central
> 01463 Somnath – Jabalpur
> 04312 Bhuj – Bareilly
> 09204 Porbandar – Secunderabad
> 02941 Bhavnagar – Asansol
> 06505 Gandhidham – KSR Bengaluru
> 04677 Hapa – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra
> 09572 Bhavnagar – Surendranagar
> 09513 Rajkot – Veraval
> 09503 Surendranagar – Bhavnagar
> 09514 Veraval – Rajkot
Trains cancelled for May 19
> 08402 Okha – Puri
> 01191 Bhuj – Pune
> 09203 Secunderabad – Porbandar
> 04679 Jamnagar – Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra
> 02946 Okha – Mumbai Central
Other affected trains
Train no. 02942 (Asansol – Bhavnagar )will be cancelled on May 20, while train no. 09565 (Okha – Dehradun) will be cancelled on May 21. Train no. 06734 from Okha to Rameswaram will be short originating from Ahmedabad.
Nearly 1.5 lakh people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Gujarat as a precaution against Cyclone Tauktae. India’s Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rainfall for the Konkan coast, middle Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, with heavy showers in isolated places. “It is very likely to…cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar & Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) during the night…with a maximum sustained wind speed (of) 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph,” said the IMD.
What kind of damage is expected?
A storm surge warning has been issued as tidal waves may sweep over coastal areas. The IMD forecasts surges of 3 to 4 metres over Anand, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Diu, and Bhavnagar and 2 to 3 metres over Bharuch and southern Ahmedabad.
Damage to thatched and kutcha houses, power lines, standing crops and non-paved roads, along with minor disruptions in rail services and signaling systems is expected in Diu, Amreli, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Botad & Bhavnagar and coastal Ahmedabad.
People in vulnerable areas have been advised to stay indoors. The cyclone is expected to weaken by tomorrow evening once it reaches southern Rajasthan.
We hope you found this update useful. Stay safe!
