As Tauktae approaches west coast, know more about the storm and how to track it

India Meteorological Department in its latest alert said ‘Tauktae’is likely to intensify further into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ by Monday, with windspeed ranging between 150kmph and 160kmph, as it approaches Gujarat coast where it is likely to make a landfall on Tuesday morning. Read more to know about the storm and track its path.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday announced that a deep depression over the Arabian sea intensified into a cyclonic storm Tauktae and was centred over Lakshadweep island.

Rough sea waves crash against the rocks near Someshwara temple in Mangaluru on Saturday as cyclone Tauktae intensifies into a very severe cylclonic storm in the Arabian Sea. (PTI)

As several states in the western coast of India brace for the cyclone to make a landfall, here is all that you need to know about 2021’s first storm:

• The IMD had forecast on Friday that the cyclonic storm ‘Tauktae’ (pronounced as Tau’Te) is likely to intensify further into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ by Monday, with windspeed ranging between 150kmph and 160kmph.

• The cyclone is likely to impact areas including the coast of Kerala, Karnataka, Lakshadweep, Goa and Maharashtra. The IMD has issued an ‘orange category’ warning for Goa on May 15 and 16.

• Tauktae is expected to pass through Porbandar and Naliya in coastal Gujarat on Tuesday afternoon.

• The authorities have sounded a red alert in five districts of Kerala -- Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Pathanamitta and Ernakulam -- and have deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in areas likely to affected by the cyclone.

• Mumbai and Thane too, where the effect of the storm is expected to be felt over the weekend, have been put under the yellow category storm warning by the IMD.

• However, the influence of the storm in Maharashtra is likely to subside after Monday as it would travel north-westwards towards Gujarat around May 18, the IMD said.

• The Indian Navy has kept its ships, aircraft, helicopters, diving and disaster relief teams on standby to help state administrations as the cyclone approaches.

• Heavy rainfall with strong winds lashed parts of Kerala and coastal Maharashtra on Saturday as the storm intensified. Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Friday heled a meeting where he asked district administrations, divisional commissioners and district collectors of Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg to stay vigilant.

• Fishermen have been advised against venturing into sea and coast guards are on constant patrol.

For latest updates on the cyclone, you can visit the website of the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre for Cyclones over North Indian Ocean.

You can also visit Earth Null school's website, which provides a visualisation of global weather conditions and forecast to track Tauktae in real time as it approaches the western coast.