As Cyclone Tauktae intensifying into a very severe cyclone, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Sunday reviewed preparedness of Central and State Ministries and agencies to deal the which is currently hovering over the East-Central Arabian Sea, an official statement said.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General told the committee that the cyclone is expected to reach the Gujarat Coast on Tuesday morning with wind speeds ranging from 150 to 160 km per hour accompanied by squally winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge in the coastal districts of the State.

Chief Secretaries of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu appraised NCMC about measures that are put in place to deal with the cyclonic storm. Adequate stocks of foodgrains, drinking water and other essential supplies have been arranged and preparations made to maintain essential services such as Power and Telecommunications, they said.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed or made available 79 teams in these States and 22 additional teams are also kept in readiness. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard along with ships and aircraft have also been deployed, the meeting was told.

The committee was also told that necessary arrangements have been made to ensure uninterrupted functioning of hospitals and Covid Care Centres, along with ensuring generation and supply of oxygen to Covid facilities across the country.

Reviewing the preparedness of the Central and State agencies, Gauba stressed that all measures should be taken to evacuate people in the areas to be affected by the cyclone so that there is zero loss of life and damage.

Apart from Chief Secretaries of the concerned States, advisors to the Administrators of Lakshadweep, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu participated in the meeting, which was also attended by Secretaries of Ministries of Home, Power, Shipping, Telecom, Civil Aviation and Fisheries as well as Railway Board Chairman and Member Secretary of National Disaster Management Authority.

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