Tauktae tears up Gujarat coast; 13 dead, 16,000 houses damaged PTI
Updated May 19, 2021, 11:12 am IST
Tauktae, characterised as an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Monday, has now weakened into a cyclonic storm
Tauktae triggered heavy rains in many parts along its way from the Saurashtra coast to North Gujarat. (Photo: File/PTI)
Ahmedabad: As many as 13 people were killed in Gujarat as cyclone Tauktae pummelled parts of the state and left behind a trail of destruction along the coast, uprooting electric poles, trees and damaging thousands of houses and roads, officials said on Tuesday.
In what was one of the worst cyclones faced by the state, Tauktae triggered heavy rains in many parts along its way from the Saurashtra coast to North Gujarat with as many as 46 talukas receiving over 100 mm of downpour, while 12 of them recorded 150 mm to 175 mm of rains.
Indian Navy Rescue operations - Facebook video screenshot Search and rescue operations continue for over 90 missing from a barge that sank 35 miles offshore Mumbai in cyclone Tauktau while 180 have been rescued.
The Indian Navy said that had rescued 180 from the Afcons Infrastructure barge Papaa–305 (P305) which broke anchor on 17 May in the cyclone and then sank.
The Navy said that five ships were involved in the search and rescue operations. “SAR has also been augmented with P8I and naval helicopters, who continue to undertake aerial search in the area,” it said in a Facebook post.
The P305 was on charter to Oil and Natural Gas Co (ONGC) and one of a number of offshore vessels and assets under operation for the oil company have been casualties of the cyclone.
19 May 2021 6:25 GMT Updated 19 May 2021 6:44 GMT in London
At least 80 offshore workers remain missing two days after disaster struck when Cyclone Tauktae slammed into Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)’s Mumbai High fields offshore India’s west coast.
Search and rescue operations continued overnight Tuesday and were ramped up again at daylight to look for the unaccounted-for personnel from Afcons’ barge Papaa 305 (P 305), which capsized and sank after being hit by Tauktae on Monday. We believe all personnel [were] safely evacuated before the vessel sank. Despite the extreme sea conditions, 182 members on board P 305 [have] been rescued so far by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, said Afcons.
Cyclone Tauktae: 93 crew members of sunken ONGC barge still missing off Maharashtra coast, massive search operation on
A total of 638 people who were aboard ships near Maharashtra and Gujarat had either been rescued or their vessel had been secured by Tuesday evening. Three personnel rescued by Sea King helicopter from Barge P305 being taken for medical attention at INS Shikra. (Photo: IANS)
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Updated: May 19, 2021, 08:44 AM IST
Even as Cyclone Tauktae is weakening, as many as 93 crew members of an ONGC barge – Barge Papaa (P-305) - are still marooned in the Arabian Sea after the vessel sank 35 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast. Five ships of the Indian Navy, several Naval helicopters and the Indian Coast Guard were pressed into service to trace and rescue the crew members. At least 177 members of the 273 personnel on board were rescued in a massive search operation by the Navy. Navy ships Beas, Betwa and Teg joined INS Kochi and Kolkata as
19 May 2021 13:15 GMT Updated 19 May 2021 13:15 GMT in London
Twenty-two offshore workers are confirmed dead as the search and rescue operation continues after a barge sank when Cyclone Tauktae hit Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)’s Mumbai High fields offshore western India.
The Indian Navy and coast guard mounted the operation after the cyclone struck on Monday, although hopes are fading for the 51 personnel still missing from contractor Afcons’ Papaa 305 barge.
Rescue efforts have been supported by ONGC as well as joint venture partners Afcons and Halani-Tes-Nauvata, which were revamping unmanned platforms at Mumbai High when the storm hit.
The navy said that 188 of the 261 people on board the barge had been rescued by the middle of this week.