150 locals rescued, mall roof falls on Virar overhead wire

Around 150 members of 35 families in Arnala were rescued by the local administration and shifted to St Peter’s School, Arnala in Virar on Monday due to Cyclone Tauktae, said Vasai tehsildar Ujwala Bhagat

Around 150 members of 35 families in Arnala were rescued by the local administration and shifted to St Peter’s School, Arnala in Virar on Monday due to Cyclone Tauktae, said Vasai tehsildar Ujwala Bhagat. Meanwhile, a trawler from Pali village in Bhayander (West) with six khalasis was stuck in the Arabian Sea since Saturday, said fishermen leader Bernard D’mello,

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The fishermen on the trawler have taken shelter on a non-operational rig of the Oil and Natural Gas Company near Bombay High and will be rescued after the intensity of the cyclonic storm reduces, said D’mello. The trawler was returning to shore after the Coast Guard issued a warning, said D’mello. The Coast Guard and the Navy along with local fishermen have launched a search for the trawler.

In a review meeting with Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde, Palghar and Thane district officials said the fishermen are safe and will be brought to Uttan coast after storm fades off.

Meanwhile, an overhead galvanised iron sheet located at a mall opposite Virar station landed on the overhead wire between Platforms 2 and 3 around 4pm owing to the gusty winds. Western Railway (WR) staffers removed the sheet by 4.30pm, Sumit Thakur, chief public relations officer, WR.

Cyclone Tauktae also led to heavy rainfall with Dahanu taluka receiving around 32mm rain while Palghar received 29mm and Vasai 10mm. As per the district information office data, around 13 houses were destroyed, 19 electric poles and a transformer got uprooted and four trees were uprooted. There were no casualties. The revenue department will compensate for the damaged and destroyed houses, said an official.