CYCLONE TAUKTAE

SUBMITTED BY:
DEVIKA DEVARAJ
JEUL ANTONY
SONA PARVEEN FAROOQUE
SANDRA NAMBIAR

Tauktae was a powerful, deadly and damaging tropical cyclone in the Arabian
Sea that became the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Indian
state of Gujarat since 1998 and one of the strongest tropical cyclones to ever
affect the west coast of India. The second depression, first cyclonic storm,
first severe cyclonic storm, first very severe cyclonic storm, and first
extremely severe cyclonic storm of the 2021 North Indian Ocean cyclone
season, Tauktae originated from a tropical disturbance, which was first
monitored by the India Meteorological Department on May 13. The
disturbance drifted eastward and organized into a deep depression by May
14. The storm soon took a northward turn, continuing to gradually intensify,
and the system strengthened into a cyclonic storm and was named Tauktae
later that same day. Tauktae continued intensifying into May 15, reaching
severe cyclonic storm status later that day. Tauktae began to parallel the
coast of the Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra, before
rapidly intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm, early on May 16. Early
on May 17, Tauktae intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm,
reaching its peak intensity soon afterward. Later that same day, Tauktae
underwent an eyewall replacement cycle and weakened, before
restrengthening as it neared the coast of Gujarat, making landfall soon
afterward.
Before, During and After Cyclone pictures of India Gate, Mumbai
Impacts of the disaster.

In total, 169 people had died in India as a result of Cyclone Tauke, with at
least 80 others injured. 10 died in Kerala, 8 in Karnataka, 3 in Goa, 18 in
Maharashtra, 64 in Gujarat, while 66 died from the sinking of Barge P305.
11,774,038 people have been affected, 257,135 evacuated, and over 56,846
houses have been damaged. 69,429 electric poles and 196 roads have been
damaged, as well as more than 40,000 trees. Water supply systems in 5,951
villages were damaged too.
South India
Although it remained offshore, Tauktae brought heavy rainfall to Kerala.An
average of 145.5 mm (5.73 in) of rain fell across the state on May 15,
damaging its agriculture and power infrastructure. Flash floods occurred and
soil was waterlogged in Kerala. Over a hundred homes sustained damage
throughout the state. Maharashtra
21 people were killed and nine were injured in the state of Maharashtra, and
over 2,542 buildings were damaged.
Gujarat
The cyclone made landfall in the region of Saurashtra between Diu and Una
at around 21:00 IST, and weakened to a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. Wind
speeds of approximately 150 to 175 kilometres per hour (93 to 109 mph)
were recorded at the district of Diu in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar
Haveli and Daman and Diu. A total of 64 people were killed in Gujarat, while
55,384 homes were damaged. Over 1,000 poles were uprooted while and
over 2,400 villages witnessed power supply failures

Climate change.

On May 19, the cyclone weakened and brought heavy rainfall in different
parts of the country, including the National Capital Region in the north and
Bihar in the east.
Delhi recorded the highest-ever rainfall in 24 hours in May as Cyclone
Tauktae impacted the weather of the national capital and its surrounding
areas.
Delhi recorded a temperature of 23.8 degrees Celsius (74.84 degrees
Fahrenheit) — the lowest in May since 1951 and 16 degrees below normal for
this time of the year.

Delhi’s maximum temperature was lesser than that of Srinagar and

Dharamshala — the hill stations that travelers visit in May.

Social delimma.

Apart from damaging lives and livelihoods, the cyclones have affected the
Covid-19 inoculation drives in the concerned states. In Mumbai, India’s
financial capital, a vaccine centre was damaged in Cyclone Tauktae, forcing
the administration to shut it down. In addition, Covid patients were shifted
from designated centres to safer venues as a precautionary measure.

Vaccinations were also suspended in remote areas due to the storms. In

states like West Bengal and Odisha, healthcare workers struggled to reach
areas that had been flooded even days after the storm

Economic losses.
The economic cost of climate change can be seen in the ever-growing losses
caused by cyclones. As a result of global warming, cyclones are proving to be
the worst accounting for major loss of lives as well as economic damage.

According to RMSI, a global consulting firm working on natural calamities,

Cyclone Tauktae caused a loss of about Rs 15,000 crore with the agriculture
sector being the most hit. Gujarat and Diu were the most affected regions.

The RMSI report states that Gujarat and Diu accounted for over 50 percent
of the losses while Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa were partially
affected. Agricultural, ports, transportation and utility sectors suffered the
most.

Measurements Taken By The Government

Precautions Taken Pre-Landfall

On May 16, 2021, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high review
meeting to review preparedness on the cyclone through video conferencing
with various senior officials in New Delhi.
Kerala
● All coastal fishing in Kerala was banned by the state's disaster
management authority between May 13–17 in anticipation of rough
seas caused by Tauktae's formation and traversal of the offshore
waters.
● The IMD issued a red alert for nine districts in Kerala for torrential
rainfall on May 15, including Lakshadweep.
● The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) dispatched nine teams
to Kerala. Supplemental oxygen and other medical supplies were also
brought within the risk areas from both domestic and foreign sources.
● More than 2,000 people were evacuated to 71 centres were
established for populations vulnerable to coastal erosion.

Karnataka
● A curfew was initially imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in
Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka.

Maharashtra
● In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said alerts had been
raised for coastal districts and that the state administration had been
preparing to ensure that electricity and oxygen supply would remain in
COVID-19 hospitals.
● Operations at Mumbai International Airport were suspended on May 17
between 11:00 and 14:00 IST. Bandra Worli Sea Link was also closed
for normal traffic and the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Mumbai was
also suspended for the day.
 ● Hundreds of COVID-19 patients were shifted from coastal wards in
Mumbai to safer ground.

Gujarat
● In total, the NDRF mobilised 4,700 personnel in 100 teams across six
states.
● In Gujarat, 200,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas all
while 54 teams of the National Disaster Response Force and State
Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed.
● On May 16, the number of people evacuated quickly grew to tens of
thousands of people as Tauktae neared the Gujarati coast.
● Government officials of the Indian state said that over 150,000 people
were to be evacuated from vulnerable areas on Sunday evening.
● All fishing was suspended until Monday near the Gujarat coast.
● More than 170 mobile intensive care unit vans were deployed to help
prevent the possibility of the current surge in COVID-19 cases being
worsened. Hospitals windproof their buildings to prevent damage.
● The Navy was placed on standby in Gujarat.
● At this time, 180 relief and rescue teams and 9 ETFs were also on
standby.
● The IMD warned of coastal flooding caused by storm surge of up to 13
feet.
Aftermath
● The prime minister also announced Rs. 2 lakh to each family who had
their members die in the cyclone and Rs. 50,000 for the injured.
● He assured that the central government was working closely with the
affected states.
● An inter-ministerial team was also planned to be sent to Gujarat to
assess the extent of damage in the state, based on which further
assistance will be given.

Role of disaster management.

Disaster Management can be defined as the organization and management
of resources and responsibilities for dealing with all humanitarian aspects of
emergencies, in particular preparedness, response, and recovery to lessen
the impact of disasters.

Disaster management involves organizing resources (including human

resources) to deal with immediate needs when a disaster occurs, including
humanitarian and long-term management, which involves mitigation and
rehabilitation.

Coordinate the enforcement and implementation of the policy and plans for
disaster management. Recommend provision of funds for mitigation. ... Lay
down broad policies and guidelines for the functioning of the National
Institute of Disaster Management.

Awareness, education, preparedness, and prediction and warning systems can

reduce the disruptive impacts of a natural disaster on communities. However,
mitigation measures such as the adoption of zoning, land-use practices, and
building codes are needed to prevent or reduce actual damage from hazards.

The four phases of disaster: 1) mitigation; 2) preparedness; 3) response; and

4) recovery. The model helps frame issues related to disaster preparedness as
well as economic and business recovery after a disaster.
The Government has taken various initiatives for cyclone management in the
country. These include the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project for
structural and non-structural measures for cyclone mitigation. Integrated
Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project to manage coastal areas
.
The government has banned fishing activities along the Kerala coast, rivers,
and other water bodies. Do not attempt to cross rivers, bathe in rivers or
other water bodies. Do not stand on bridges over water bodies to view or
take selfies. Keep boats and fishing nets safe.

With Cyclone Tauke nearing the southern coast of India, the government has
issued several warnings and urged the public to take safety measures. Here
are some of the precautionary measures you should take when a cyclone
warning is issued:

Only listen to official updates. Do not spread rumours

Cooperate with the authorities and follow their instructions,

Do not venture out for fishing activities. The government has banned fishing
activities along the Kerala coast, rivers and other water bodies.

Do not attempt to cross rivers, bathe in rivers or other water bodies.

Do not stand on bridges over water bodies to view or take selfies

Keep boats and fishing nets safe.

Lock up the windows of homes and buildings.

Those living near dams should make preparations anticipating the possibility
of release of water.

Those living in landslide prone areas and coastal areas must take precautions
or move to safer places.

People must avoid travelling through high-range areas during the night.

Endangered trees, posts, hoardings and boards in private and public places
should be secured and trees should be pruned.

- Ensure the safety of domestic animals. In case of extremely heavy rainfall,

wind or floods, do not keep them tethered or locked-up

Check the news media for instructions and timely updates. Ensure the safety
of children, elderly people, bed-ridden patients, pregnant women, nursing
mothers, and the differently-abled.

Keep your mobile phones, laptops, UPS, and inverters fully charged
While travelling in vehicles, avoid areas with trees and electric posts. Also, do
not take the coastal route or venture into water bodies.

Avoid visiting cyclone-hit areas and taking pictures.

In case you have to shift from your home, move to the relief camps set up by
the government in line with the COVID-19 guidelines or safer areas.

Prepare an emergency kit and always keep it with you.

What makes an emergency kit

At least one litre of drinking water for one person.

Non-perishable food items like biscuits, rusk, peanut, raisins, dates, cashew
nuts etc.

-First-aid kit If any family members suffer from diabetes, blood pressure,
cardiac ailments or life threatening diseases, the first-aid kit should have their
medicines too. Chlorine tablets should also be included in the kit for
disinfecting water.

Important documents like deeds, certificates, passport etc. must be put in a

plastic cover and kept safe inside the bag.

A battery-powered radio for receiving emergency broadcasts.

Sanitary pads, toothbrush and paste etc.

At least one pair of clothes.

If any of the family members are differently-abled, equipment or devices for

thoir assistance.

Candles and match-boxes.

A whistle to attract attention in case of emergency.

A knife or blade for use in emergency situations.

Mobile phone, charger and power-bank.

Lessons emerge for managing cascading

risks in the future.

1. Prepare for emerging risks

Cyclone Tauktae reveals two emerging trends in the disaster riskscape of the
region. One, an emerging cyclone risk hotspot in the Arabian Sea, and two, a
disaster-health-climate change nexus in the era of the pandemic. Due to the
efforts of the Indian Meteorological Department, the early warning for
Tauktae was quite precise and also provided enough lead time for the
evacuation of large numbers of people at risk during the progression of the
cyclone that helped save countless lives. The challenges lie in managing the
cascading risks emanating from the interaction of the COVID-19 pandemic
with cyclones. The integration of pandemic warning systems with
multi-hazard early warning systems for natural and biological hazards will be
key.

2. Build climate resilient infrastructure

Cyclone Tauktae has brought vast destruction along the west coast of India.
While the economic cost is yet unknown, infrastructure (power grids, ports
and roads) and the agriculture sector are hit the hardest. The cyclone also
caused many maritime incidents. In Goa, disruptions in the power sector
affected the supply of oxygen to critically ill COVID-19 patients. The
Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2019 highlights that a large proportion of
existing critical infrastructure is located in multi-hazard risk hotspots. For
instance, a third of power plants, ICT fibre-optic cables, and airports, and
over 42 per cent of road infrastructure are in multi-hazard risk hotspots. The
coastal infrastructure therefore must be made climate resilient through a
combination of grey (man-made) and green efforts, including locale-specific
nature-based solutions.

3. Capitalize on regional cooperation

The rapid intensification of cyclones needs to be closely monitored at higher

resolution and accuracy using on-site platforms such as buoys and moorings,
ocean observation platforms and other innovative systems. Such systems
help address the uncertainties associated with the impact of climate change
on tropical cyclones. The WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones plays an
important role by monitoring and sharing real time data from multiple
platforms. It is now time to capitalize on the collective strength of the Panel
for managing cascading risks in the Arabian Sea.