Ravi Shastri: Cyclone Tauktae makes 2020's Nisarga look like 'Micky Mouse'; devastating

Team India's Head Coach Ravi Shastri has expressed his concern on the ongoing Cyclone Tauktae which has wrapped states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra under its cloak. Ravi Shastri on Monday took to his Twitter handle and drew comparisons between cyclone Nisagra and cyclone Tauktae. Outlining the impact of Cyclone Tauktae, Team India's Head Coach also called last year's Cyclone Nisagra 'Mickey Mouse' in comparison. Shastri was outlining the intensity and power of India's first major cyclonic storm of 2021. 

Cyclone Tauktae, the first cyclonic storm that has hit India in 2021, has intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm, according to the latest update by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Ravi Shastri took to his Twitter handle and wrote that the cyclone is absolutely devastating and it is still in progress. The Head Coach also hoped that the 'severe cyclonic storm' does not cause serious damage in landfall. 

Ravi Shastri on Twitter wrote:

Nisarga was the second cyclone to strike the Indian subcontinent within two weeks' time in 2020, after Cyclone Amphan, the first super cyclonic storm to have formed in the Bay of Bengal in the 21st century, devastated the state of West Bengal in May. However, it's landfall and path eventually changed to an extent that damage was minimal. 

Cyclone Tauktae to cross the western coast of Gujarat

The IMD has stated that Cyclone Tauktae is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm within the next 24 hours and that it will cross the western coast of Gujarat on early morning of May 18. 

As per the latest update, Cyclone Taukte is expected to make landfall between Porbandar and Mahuva (specifically 20 km east of Diu) between 8 PM and 11 PM on Monday, May 17.  Although the timeline of the cyclone has been accelerated, the intensity of the wind speed is showing a decreasing trend. With a maximum sustained wind speed 155-165 kmph gusting to 185 kmph.

Strong winds with speed reaching up to 90 km/per were lashing the western coastal region. According to the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD, by May 18 the wind speed is expected to increase to 150-160 km per hour, gusting up to 175 km per hour. An estimated 1.5 lakh people are being shifted from low-lying coastal areas in Gujarat while 54 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in the state. 

(Image Credits: @RaviShastriOfc/Twitter/PTI)