Timely weather alerts have ensured that as many as 4,526 boats from Maharashtra and 2,258 boats from Gujarat, which were out at sea for fishing, have safely returned to the harbours. The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) are on high alert as severe cyclonic storm Tauktae passes the Mumbai coast towards Gujarat on Monday.
The navy has kept its Flood Rescue Teams at INS Shikra in Colaba, INS Trata in Worli, Material Organisation in Ghatkopar, INS Tanaji in Mankhurd, and INS Hamla in Malad ready for deployment.
The navy can also operate its Chetak and Sea King helicopters from INS Shikra in support of relief and rescue operations as may be permitted by the weather.On receiving request for assistance for a barge adrift off Heera Oil fields in Bombay High area with 273 personnel onboard, INS Kochi was despatched for search and rescue assistance and several other ships have been prepared for disaster recovery task in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae that has wreaked havoc along the west coast of India.
Navy was prepared and was on standby as no request had yet been received from the civil administration for immediate help.The ICG has also geared up for preventive and response measures on western coast.
ICG ships and aircraft started alerting fishing boats as well as merchant vessels in the possible route of the storm soon after it learnt about cyclone Tauktae. Several ships were deployed at sea to ensure safe return of more than 5,600 fishing boats, alerting and safe-routing of 335 merchant vessels.
Apart from that, 40 coast guard Disaster Relief Teams (DRTs) with inflatable boats, lifebuoys and life jackets are on standby along the western coast for undertaking disaster response operations.
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