Cyclone Tauktae weakens; heavy rains likely over Saurashtra today

Tauktae has weakened from extremely severe cyclonic storm to a very severe cyclonic storm early this morning, following landfall over Gujarat coast.

At 5.30am, it was about 95 km north-northeast of Diu and 10 km south of Amreli. As per India Meteorological Department’s 7am bulletin, the intensity at the centre of the storm is 115 to 125 kmph gusting to 135 kmph.

Tauktae is likely to weaken to a severe cyclonic storm during in the next few hours. Heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rainfall is likely over Saurashtra and parts of coastal Gujarat today.

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Gale winds of 115 to 125 kmph gusting to 135 kmph is likely to prevail along and off Gujarat coast at Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad etc; 100 to 120 kmph wind speed is likely over Diu, Gir Somnath, Junagarh, Surendra Nagar, Rajkot, Bharuch, Anand etc.

After the landfall which has been completed this morning, the system is very likely to re-curve north-northeastwards, across Gujarat and weaken gradually.

It is likely to maintain the intensity of cyclonic storm till today evening and thereafter, it will weaken gradually into a depression over south Rajasthan.

Under its influence, light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places very likely over interior districts of Gujarat and south Rajasthan today. Squally winds are likely to prevail over south Rajasthan in association with the presence of the remnant system as a depression over the region.