Tauktae pounds Gujarat coast; 13 dead; over 16,000 houses damaged

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.

Even as Tauktae's intensity weakened, it left behind a trail of destruction with as many as 13 people losing their lives in different parts of Gujarat, including Bhavnagar, Rajkot, Patan, Amreli and Valsad, officials said.

Over 16,000 houses were damaged, more than 40,000 trees and over 70,000 electric poles uprooted, while 5,951 villages faced total power blackout due to the cyclonic storm in Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said.

The landfall process of the eye of Tauktae, which hit the Gujarat coast in the Saurashtra region between Diu and Una, ended around midnight on Monday, the IMD said.

Rupani told reporters that 5,951 villages suffered blackout and work was underway to restore power supply in 3,850 of them. Around 70,000 electric poles fell and four 220-KV substations were yet to restart, the chief minister said. He said 68 out of 165 66-KV sub stations were also damaged and later made functional.

Rupani said out of 425 Covid-19 hospitals located in the affected areas, 122 suffered power blackout, out of which electricity supply in 83 was restored, and 39 others were working on backup arrangements.

Due to the cyclone, the state received widespread rainfall, with 96 talukas receiving more than one inch of downpour, Rupani said.

As many as 46 talukas received around 4 inch rainfall, and 12 around 6 to 7 inch rainfall. Ten talukas received more than five inch downpour, the chief minister said.