Asks 3 services to provide assistance to civil admns

People move a fishing boat to a safer place along the shore ahead of Cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat on Monday. Reuters

New Delhi, May 17

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday directed the three services to provide all possible assistance to the civil administrations in the coastal states of Maharashtra and Gujarat in tackling the situation arising out of Cyclone Tauktae.

Singh issued the instruction after reviewing the preparedness of the armed forces to deal with the fallout of the cyclone.

Four saved by Navy helicopters

Four persons were saved by helicopters of the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea west of Mangalore on Monday morning. A tugboat they were travelling got flooded leaving them with no propulsion or power. The four crew members were winched up in the copter and handed on the deck of Coast Guard ship nearby.

“The Defence Minister directed the three services to provide all possible assistance to the civil administration to deal with the emerging situation,” the Defence Ministry said.

Singh carried out the review at a video-conference, which was attended by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Army Chief Gen MM Naravane among others.

121 villages affected in K’taka, 8 dead

Eight persons have lost their lives in the Cyclone Tauktae-hit coastal and surrounding malnad districts of Karnataka, officials said on Monday. According to the officials, till this evening, 121 villages in seven districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Belagavi have been affected by the cyclone. PTI

The ministry said three ships of the Indian Navy have been put on standby with aid and relief materials for providing immediate assistance to affected areas if required.

Several other ships on the Western seaboard are also being kept ready for any deployment. — PTI