Cyclone Tauktae: Nearly 80 missing as barge P305 sinks into Arabian Sea

A view of stranded ship GAL constructor. Photo Credit: Coast Guard

In the wake of Cyclone Tauktae, Navy ships, helicopters, tugboats, and rescue ships were dispatched to rescue over 500 people trapped on various barges in the high seas off the Mumbai coast.

As of the most recent reports, 182 people were rescued from the barge P305, which sank after being stranded in the Arabian Sea near Mumbai. Nearly 80 people are still missing. In the meantime, the Gal Constructor and SS-3 are said to have rescued a total of 339 people.

Reportedly, Cyclone Tauktae wreaked havoc on the historic Gateway of India, destroying a sea-facing protection wall and iron gates. The historic monument's main structure was unaffected, however, a section of the footpath near it caved in.

A view of the divider near the Gateway of India after cyclone Taukate hit in Mumbai

Strong sea waves near the Gateway of India

After the storm struck the Gujarat coast in western India on Monday evening, hundreds of thousands of people were left without electricity, leaving a trail of death and devastation.

Cyclone Tauktae hit the Saurashtra area with three deaths, power outages in about 2,500 villages, damage to 16,500 houses/huts, 40,000 tree-falling incidents, and damage to 196 roads after it made landfall on the Saurashtra coast near Una in Gir Somnath district Monday night. The storm was clustered over Saurashtra about 75 km south-southwest and 40 km west of Surendranagar, according to the Indian Meteorological Department.

The cyclone stormed inland weakening slightly but still bringing heavy rains and gale-force winds, according to the IMD. Further, forecasters predicted that the weather would deteriorate into a deep depression over the next six hours.

Cyclone Tauktae's remnants are expected to pass through Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh from 19th to 20th May

In addition to this, weak to moderate rainfall and thunder showers are forecast over northwest and central India on Tuesday as the remnant interacts with the Wester disturbance. Heavy rainfall is expected in isolated areas across south Rajasthan. In addition, there has been heavy rain in isolated areas across Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.