Cyclone Tauktae: 6 dead as heavy rains, gusty winds lash Karnataka
At least six individuals died in separate incidents throughout coastal and central Karnataka because of heavy rains and gusty winds triggered by Cyclone Tauktae during the last 24 hours, an official stated on Sunday. “Four isolated incidents occurred since late Saturday in Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, as heavy rains induced by the cyclone lashed the state,” Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) head Sunil Gavaskar stated.
Of the six who perished within the rain-related incidents, two drowned when their tugboat capsized on the excessive seas in Dakshina Kannada district.
(*6*) state Revenue Minister R. Ashoka stated in a press release right here.
Strong winds and excessive tides within the Arabian Sea had been hampering the rescue operation by the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF).
“Weather permitting, we will fly a helicopter to locate the 3 missing in the sea and airlift them to the shore at the earliest,” Ashoka stated.
In the opposite incident, a fisherman died close to Karwar in Uttar Kannada, as he was towing his boat to the shore when one other boat floating within the sea crashed on him from behind because of sturdy winds and heavy rains.
In the second incident, a farmer was electrocuted in his farmland close to Udupi when he got here in touch with a reside wire which fell in his discipline because of gusty winds.
In the third, a middle-aged man died in Chikkamagaluru district when the tiled-roof home by which he was sleeping collapsed because of heavy rains, whereas an individual died because of lightning in Shivamogga district whereas he was taking shelter throughout the rain.
Moderate to heavy rains and gusty winds prompted sea erosion alongside the west shoreline and inundated low-laying areas within the affected districts.
In a associated improvement, 9 individuals had been stranded when a Coromandel tug obtained caught close to Mulki rocks abutting the seashore in Udupi district.
“We have asked the Indian Coast Guard to rescue the stranded sailors,” stated Ashoka.
As the cyclone intensified and moved northwest in direction of Goa and Maharashtra, heavy rains and excessive tidal waves lashed the coastal districts within the southern state.
The districts affected by the cyclone are Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi and Uttara Kannada on the coast and Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Shivamogga within the Western Ghats.
“We have evacuated 516 people from the affected areas and sheltered 253 of them in 10 relief camps set up in the 6 districts. Over 200 houses were damaged. About 3,000 electrical lines have been damaged in 98 villagers across 20 taluks,” stated KSNDMC Commissioner Manoj Rajan in a press release.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), 240 mm rainfall was recorded at Kollur in Udupi; 190mm every at Kota in Udupi, Puttur in Dakshina Kannada and Hosanagar in Shivamogga distict; 170mm at Kundapur in Udupi and Bhagamandal in Kodagu, and 160mm at Bhatka in Uttar Kannada district.
“As a fallout of the cyclone, heavy rains and thunderstorms are forecast in the coastal districts and many parts of south interior and north interior regions of the state over the next 48 hours,” stated the IMD in its climate bulletin.
Fishermen have been warned in opposition to venturing into the ocean because of gale wind velocity reaching 70-80kmph and excessive tidal waves alongside and off the west coast.
(With IANS inputs)
