Take extra efforts to ensure Cyclone Tauktae doesn't have an impact on Covid-19 operations: PM to officials

Special effort should be taken to ensure that Covid-19 management in hospitals, cold chain for vaccine and storage of essential medicines are not impacted by cyclone Tauktae, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told a high-level meeting on Saturday.

He directed senior officials to take every possible measure to ensure that people are safely evacuated while ensuring maintenance of all essential services such as power, telecommunication, health and drinking water.

In the meeting to review the preparedness of states and central ministries to deal with the situation, he also directed officials to immediately restore services in the event of damages caused to them.

With the country facing the pandemic, Modi said there should be "special preparedness on Covid-19 management in hospitals, vaccine cold chain and other medical facilities on power back up and storage of essential medicines and to plan for unhindered movement of oxygen tankers".

Read: As Cyclone Tauktae knocks on India’s west coast, mitigation efforts fall short

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has kept ready 10 Quick Response medical teams and five Public Health Response teams, with emergency medicines, Modi was informed by officials.

Modi also directed for the round-the-clock functioning of control rooms. He said that special care needs to be taken to ensure that there is least possible disruption in oxygen supply from Jamnagar.

There is also a need to involve the local community for timely sensitisation and relief measures, he added.

In the meeting also attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the cyclone is expected to touch Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya around May 18 afternoon or evening with the wind speed ranging upto 175 kmph.

"It is likely to cause heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Gujarat, including extremely heavy falls in Junagadh and Gir Somnath and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in the districts of Saurashtra Kutch and Diu namely Gir Somnath, Diu, Junagadh, Porbandar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Amreli, Rajkot, Jamnagar," the IMD said.

IMD also warned of storm surge of about 2-3 metre above astronomical tide to inundate coastal areas of Morbi, Kutch, Devbhoomi Dwarka and Jamnagar districts and 1-2 metre along Porbandar, Junagarh, Diu, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar and 0.5 to one metre over the remaining coastal districts of Gujarat around the time of landfall.

The officials also informed the Prime Minister that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has already deployed 42 teams which are equipped with boats, tree-cutters, telecom equipment among others in six states and has kept 26 teams on standby.

Indian Coast Guard and the Navy have deployed ships and helicopters for relief, search and rescue operations, while the Air Force and Engineer task force units of Army, with boats and rescue equipment, are on standby for deployment. Seven ships with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief units are on standby along the western coast.

While the Ministry of Power has taken steps to immediately restore power supply in case of disruption, the Ministry of Telecom is keeping all telecom towers and exchanges under constant watch and is fully geared to restore telecom networks. The Ministry of Port, Shipping and Waterways has deployed emergency vessels (Tugs).