Overall Red alert Tropical Cyclone for TAUKTAE-21
in India, Pakistan

Event summary

Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE-21 can have a high humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.

GDACS ID TC 1000782
Name TAUKTAE-21
Glide number: TC-2021-000056-IND
From - To 14 May - 17 May
Exposed countries India, Pakistan
Exposed population 6.2 million in Category 1 or higher
Maximum wind speed 222 km/h Category 4
Maximum storm surge 3 m (18 May 00:00 UTC)
Vulnerability High (India)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
Wind Storm surge Rainfall GDACS score
Single TC: maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge, rainfall)
HWRF 223 km/h 2.5 m 1057 mm 2.5
GFS 176 km/h 3.7 m 920 mm 1.5
ECMWF 122 km/h 3.1 m 1400 mm 1.5
Maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge and rainfall) using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
India - Tropical cyclone Tauktae (ECHO 15 May 2021)Sat, 15 May 2021 04:00

  • A low pressure system over the Lakshadweep archipelago and adjoining Arabian Sea has intensified into Cyclonic Storm “Tauktae”. On 15 May at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located approximately 160 km north-northwest of Amini Divi (Lakshadweep).
  • The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts the storm to intensify further into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the next 24 hours and continue to move north-northwestwards. The storm is predicted to reach the Gujarat coast by 18 May with wind speeds of up to 150 to 160 km/h.
  • Heavy rain causing flash floods and landslides are likely to fall over the Lakshadweep islands, coastal districts of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra until 17 May and Saurashtra, Kutch between 18 and 19 May. Localised floods are already reported in few low lying areas in Kerala causing limited displacement.
  • Local administrations of coastal districts are on high alert and 53 teams of National Disaster Response Forces are on standby.
India, Pakistan - Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE (ECHO 17 May 2021)Mon, 17 May 2021 12:17

  • Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE is strengthening as it moves north over the northeastern Arabian Sea, passing close to the western coast of western India. On 17 May at 0.00 UTC, its centre was located approximately 150 km west-southwest of Mumbai City, with maximum sustained winds of 222 km/h.
  • According to media reports, during the last 48 hours, eight deaths and several thousand have been displaced from Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. About 440 families in Maldives and 293 families in Sri Lanka also reported affected.
  • Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE is forecast to continue northward and to make landfall over the southern coast of Gujarat on 17 May late morning (UTC) with maximum sustained winds of 165-175 km/h.
  • On 17-18 May, heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge are forecast over Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected also across southeastern Pakistan. Red warnings for heavy rain with thunderstorms and strong winds are in effect over Gujarat. Movement of air, water and road transports are restricted.
India - Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE update (ECHO 18 May 2021)Tue, 18 May 2021 04:00

  • Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE made landfall in the afternoon of 17 May over the coast of Saurashtra (Gujarat State, north-western India), with maximum sustained winds up to 200 km/h.  
  • According to national authorities (NDM India), the human impact has reached 23 fatalities and 41 injured people across Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Goa States and Lakshadweep Union Territory. More than 217,450 people across the western coast of India have been evacuated. Full or partial damage has been reported to 643,890 houses, several road sections and public infrastructure. 
  • TAUKTAE is forecast to weaken, as it moves north-northeastwards, reaching Rajasthan State in the afternoon of 18 May. After that, TAUKTAE is expected to dissipate in the morning of 19 May. 
  • Red warnings for heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning have been issued for Rajasthan. Storm surge is forecast over western Kathiawar peninsula, while moderate to locally heavy rain and strong winds are expected over Gujarat and north-coastal Maharashtra, including Mumbai City. 
  • The crisis seems to be manageable within the capacity of the local governments in all cyclone affected states. DG ECHO is closely monitoring the situation.
 
India - Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE update (ECHO 19 May 2021)Wed, 19 May 2021 12:30

  • Following the passage of Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE that made landfall over the coast of Saurashtra (southern Gujarat) on 17 May and crossed the States of Gujarat and southern Rajasthan on 17-18 May, the number of casualties and damage has been increasing.
  • According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDM India), 82 people have died across the States of Gujarat (45), Maharashtra (17), Kerala (9), Karnataka (8) and Goa (3). In addition, 64 people have been injured, 255,758 people have been evacuated, 11,714,481 affected and 55,834 houses damaged.
  • On 19-20 May, moderate to heavy rain is forecast over north-western and northern India including east Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.   
India - Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE update Thu, 20 May 2021 04:00

  • After the passage of Tropical Cyclone TAUKTAE on 14-18 May, over the western coast and north-western India, the number of fatalities has increased. 
  • As of 19 May, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDM India) reports, at least 84 fatalities, and up to 80 injured people across Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, States, and the Union Teritories of Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
  • Approximately 11,773,520 people remain affected, while the number of evacuated people has increased to more than 257,074. Full or partial damage has been reported to 56,634 houses, several road sections and public infrastructure. 
  • On 20-21 May, heavy to locally very heavy rainfall is forecast over northern India, particularly over Uttarakhand and west 
    Uttar Pradesh States.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

Latest media headlines

22 au 26/05 : alerte cyclonique (Yass) pour le Nord-est de l'Inde 5/21/2021 3:37:00 PM.

Quelques jours seulement après que le très destructeur cyclone tropical "Tauktae" a frappé l'Inde, faisant plus de 100 morts, un autre cyclone tropical se prépare dans le golfe du Bengale. Une zone de basse pression (LPA) est susceptible de
...(more)
EN IMAGES. Le cyclone Tauktae frappe une Inde fragilisée par le Covid-.. 5/21/2021 10:49:00 AM.

Ce mardi matin, Tauktae, rétrogradé en tempête cyclonique très violente, frappait l'Inde, avec des vents puissants et des pluies diluviennes, suspendant au passage la campagne de vaccination contre le Covid-19. Tauktae a touché terre au Guj
...(more)
L'Inde menacée par un autre cyclone après Tauktae qui a fait au moins .. 5/21/2021 7:45:00 AM.

Selon le département météorologique indien, la zone de dépression devrait être formée d'ici samedi au large des côtes orientales de l'Inde. Il est " très probable " que le système s'intensifie progressivement pour devenir une tempête cyclon
...(more)
Météo. Gros coup de vent sur l’Ouest et le Nord ce vendredi 5/21/2021 7:22:00 AM.

Des rafales de la Manche au Pas-de-Calais. Dans un bulletin, Météo France prévient qu’ avec une dépression particulièrement creuse pour la saison sur les îles britanniques (tempête dans le sud-ouest de l’Irlande ce jeudi), vendredi, les raf
...(more)

Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (38), (2), DesInventar (4), WMO (1), INFORM (2),