Indian Air Force prepares for Cyclone Tauktae
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday warned that the deep depression over the Arabian Sea has intensified into cyclonic storm ‘Tauktae’ and is likely to cross the Gujarat coast between Porbandar and Naliya around Tuesday, May 18.
In the wake of this alert, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has kept 16 transport aircraft and 18 helicopters on operational readiness in peninsular India in preparation for the Cyclone Tauktae, which is expected to cause very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall along the western coast of India in the next few days.
One IL-76 aircraft has airlifted 127 personnel and 11 tonnes of cargo from Bhatinda to Jamnagar. A C-130 aircraft has airlifted 25 personnel and 12.3 tonnes cargo from Bhatinda to Rajkot. Two C-130 aircraft have airlifted 126 personnel and 14 tonnes cargo from Bhubaneswar to Jamnagar.
Additionally, IAF COVID relief operations have been focused in these coastal areas for the coming few days, as bad weather is likely to affect air operations later.
The cyclone relief operations are in addition to those that are underway for COVID relief.
(Edited by Aparmita Das)
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