Orange warning suggesting very heavy rainfall between 115.8-204.4 mm has been issued in seven districts of Karnataka by the Indian Meteorological Department due to Cyclone Tauktae. The seven districts are Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada , Hassan, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga. This warning issued on May 16 afternoon at 1 pm is valid till 8:30 am of May 17.
At least four persons have died in the state so far due to the cyclone induced incidents after the effects of the system were felt since May 15 afternoon. The rainfalls are likely to reduce and a yellow alert (heavy rainfall between 64.5-115.5 mm) has been issued for the next four days according to the 1 pm statewide forecast. The Karnataka State Disaster Monitoring Centre also said widespread light to moderate rains with isolated heavy to very heavy rains associated with thunderstorms likely over Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts.
Other than the coast, scattered to widespread very light to moderate rains with isolated heavy rains are likely over coastal and north-interior Karnataka; and scattered to widespread very light to moderate rains are likely over Malnad (central Karnataka) and south interior Karnataka districts. The KSNDMC said thunderstorms with lightning are very likely at isolated places over Coastal, Malnad and north interior Karnataka districts.
According to IMD, by Sunday afternoon, the cyclone system which is moving along India’s east coast has turned into a very severe cyclonic storm. The IMD bulletin issued at 2:30 pm on May 16 said the very severe cyclonic Storm over east central Arabian Sea moved nearly northwards with a speed of about 13 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 11:30 am over east central Arabian Sea (latitude 15.7°N and longitude 72.7°E) about 120 km west-northwest of Panjim-Goa, 380 km south-southwest of Mumbai, 620 km south-southeast of Veraval (Gujarat) and 790 km southeast of Karachi (Pakistan).
“It is very likely to intensify further during the next 24 hours. It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and reach Gujarat coast in the evening hours of May 17, cross Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Mahuva (Bhavnagar district) around May 18 early morning,” the bulletin added.