Landfall process of cyclone Tauktae started; Will continue next 2 hours: IMD

New Delhi, May 17: The IMD has said that the landfall process of cyclone Tauktae started on Monday evening across the Gujarat coast. The process will continue for the next two hours, it said.

Having intensified into an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm on Sunday night, Tauktae made its way north-northwestwards to the Gujarat coast.

Earlier, Mumbai experienced light rain and sharp gusts of wind. Located in close proximity to the northern coastlines of Maharashtra, the city was put on orange alert, with the Bandra Worli sea link and the Chattrapati Shivaji Airport both being shut down in purview of the cyclone.

In Gujarat, more than 100,000 citizens from 17 districts were evacuated, including all COVID-19 patients within a five-kilometre radius of the coast.

The IMD also issued orange alert on Monday afternoon for three Kerala districts - Ernakulam, Idukki and Malappuram.

Earlier, tidal waves and heavy rains wreaked havoc across the western coastline in Karnataka, Kerala and Goa, with at last six people dead from the calamities of the storm.