Mumbai, May 15: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered officials to be vigilant and well equipped especially near coastal areas, in view of Cyclone Tauktae.

In a tweet by the Maharashtra CMO, it informed, "In a meeting regarding Cyclone Tauktae, CM Uddhav Thackeray directed District Administration, Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors to be vigilant and well equipped especially in coastal areas of Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg." Cyclone Tauktae Live Tracker Map: Track Realtime Path of Low Pressure Area Forming in Arabian Sea Which May Intensify Into First Cyclonic Storm of 2021.

Cyclone Tauktae near Kochi is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Saturday morning, informed the Indian navy on Friday.

In a tweet by the Spokesperson of the Indian Navy, it informed, "#CycloneTauktae-Update 1-Deep depression 240 Nm NW off Kochi on 14th evening very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm Tauktae by 15th morning."

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is well prepared ahead of Cyclone Tauktae striking the coasts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra, NDRF officials said on Friday.

"#CycloneTauktae UPDATE- 53 #NDRF teams committed, 24 teams pre-deployment, 29 teams standby-ready for 5 states Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat and Maharashtra," tweeted Director-General of NDRF Satya Pradhan.

Acting on the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) warning to fishermen in Kerala over a cyclonic storm prediction, the State Disaster Management Authority on Thursday banned fishing on the coast till further notice.

The IMD has issued a warning for fishermen to not venture into the sea till May 17.

On December 3, 2020, cyclone Burevi made landfall in Kerala and adjoining areas.

A total of 308 people from 78 families have been relocated from disaster-prone areas to relief camps in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram where the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert due to Cyclone Tauktae, on Friday.

Thiruvananthapuram district collector Navjot Khosa said that in the heavy rains, 32 houses were partially destroyed and one house was completely destroyed in the district.

"About 318 buildings have been set up in different parts of the district to open relief camps in case more people need to be relocated," she said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)