ICG maintains a close liaison and real time communication with local administration, says K.R. Suresh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday directed the three companies to offer all potential help to the civil administrations within the coastal states of Maharashtra and Gujarat in tackling the scenario arising out of cyclone Tauktae.

Inspector General K.R. Suresh, Deputy Director General (Operations & Coastal safety), Coast Guard speaks to The Puucho.

Excerpts

Can you give an outline of the cyclone scenario? What is the newest concerning the cyclone and its trajectory?

On a mean, about 5-6 tropical cyclones kind in Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal yearly. In truth in final 3 years, a complete of 15 cyclones have been fashioned, out of which 7 cyclones occurred in Arabian Sea and 8 in Bay of Bengal. As Coast Guard, it’s our job to keep watch over any growing climate phenomenon over the seas. We bought indication of probability of a system forming up in south-east Arabian sea as early as May 9-10, 2021 by forecasts of IMD and different climate forecasting businesses.

The prompt cyclone i.e. Tauktae, initially generated as a low strain space over South-East Arabian Sea on the early morning of May 14, 2021 and quickly intensified into Cyclonic Storm on the midnight of identical day. The cyclone presently lies about 165 Km west of Mumbai as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm. It is prone to transfer North-Northwestward alongside the anticipated trajectory and cross Gujarat coast by May 17, 2021. The cyclone has been given the identify ‘Tauktae’ by Myanmar which suggests ‘GECKO’, a extremely vocal lizard within the Burmese language.

What preparations has the Coast Guard undertaken? Can you give particulars on the variety of belongings deployed and measures taken?

At the primary indications of formation of a cyclone in Arabian Sea, Indian Coast Guard equipped its preparation in the direction of the preventive and response measures on Western coast together with Lakshadweep islands in addition to the adjoining coastal state of Tamilnadu. All the ashore, afloat and aviation models have been placed on excessive alert and by the time, cyclone ‘Tauktae’ finally fashioned in Lakshadweep seas, ICG Ships and plane had already alerted fishing boats in addition to service provider vessels within the potential route of the storm.

The huge deployment of ICG belongings in the direction of preventive measures for cyclone ‘Tauktae’ has translated into 117 ship days and 116 plane hours at sea until date making certain protected return of greater than 7000 boats, alerting/ protected routeing of 464 service provider vessels and well timed rescue of 38 personnel. In addition, ICG Remote Operating Stations are incessantly relaying climate alert messages in vernacular languages on MMB radio for the seafarers and fishermen. Navtex warnings are being issued repeatedly and International security Net (ISN) has been activated to alert the vessels in/ transiting by space. Ships at anchorage have additionally been suggested to take shelter and essential security measures.

How are you coordinating with the local administration and different businesses on the bottom? What are the preventive measures enforced on the bottom to sensitize the coastal communities? (evacuations, messaging fishermen and so forth.)

The Indian Coast Guard maintains a close liaison and real time communication with local administration and different businesses on the bottom in such conditions to make sure that there is no such thing as a lack of priceless life and property at sea. Therefore, all of the Port authorities, Oil rig operators, Shipping, fisheries authorities and fishermen associations within the coastal States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and UTs of Lakshadweep and Daman & Diu have been knowledgeable concerning the impending cyclone and a close liaison and coordination for security of boats, vessels and mounted platforms is being maintained. Indian Coast Guard ships and aircrafts have been extensively deployed to relay/ broadcast climate alerts to ships and boats at sea.

DG Shipping has been requested to maintain emergency towing vessel prepared for any unexpected eventualities. Our Coast Guard Regional Headquarters West and North-West are in close contact with the State and local administration in addition to different stakeholders and taking all preventive and response measures to make sure security of seafarers and fishermen at sea. Our fishermen are essentially the most susceptible in cyclone and different opposed climate phenomena view smaller measurement of their boats and restricted safety gears with them. As of yesterday, all of the fishing boats of Gujarat and Maharashtra have been reported to have returned harbour or taken shelter in close by ports.

What are the contingencies you’ve got out in place as soon as the cyclone makes landfall?

In addition to preventive measures as described above, Indian Coast Guard stays equally ready for response operations arising out of contingencies as a result of cyclone. We have about 40 Coast Guard Disaster Relief Teams (DRTs) with inflatable boats, Life buoys and lifejackets standby all alongside the western coast for endeavor Disaster response operations. Medical groups & ambulances have additionally been stored standby for swift mobilisation.

Our ships and aircrafts additionally stay in ‘go to’ state for responding to any search and rescue, medical evacuation, oil spill contingency and so forth. arising as an after impact of cyclone. Till now, the painstaking efforts put in by ICG has paid dividends by leading to no lack of fishermen life at sea because the storm crossed the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra in addition to Lakshadweep islands. There have been few rescue operations resembling in case of MV Coromondel and 03 fishing boats specifically Jesus, Bhadariya and Milad which have been taken care of. We are additionally preserving a close eye on few growing rescue conditions off the coast of Maharashtra and have deployed ICG ships for identical.

Coast Guard has been on the forefront in dealing with cyclones. What are the main classes and the SOPs that you’ve put in place? Do you’ve got a devoted staff of consultants to deal with such conditions?

Indian Coast Guard is the National Maritime SAR coordinator and has at all times been on the forefront not solely dealing with cyclone however for different search and rescue contingencies at sea as properly. The cyclone Okhi in 2017 was a watch opener for all of the involved maritime stakeholders. Coast Guard SoP in dealing with opposed climate phenomena resembling cyclone is predicated on prevention, safety and response mechanism. Largely, the knowledge on any growing climate system is obtained properly upfront by official climate forecasters of GoI and Coast Guard belongings are deployed for relaying the alert to the vessel and boats who’re within the neighborhood or prone to be within the path of the cyclone.

Efforts are dedicated to disseminate the knowledge by all means to seafarers and fishermen as shortly and extensively as potential in order that the chance of mounting a response operation is lowered to minimal. Coordination and liaison with all stakeholders resembling Fisheries, Port Authorities, Local Administration and Shipping Authorities is maintained for essential accounting and protected return of all boats, vessels and fishermen. Ships at anchorage are additionally suggested to take shelter and essential precautions. Coast Guard operations centre at Central, Regional, District and State degree are manned 24×7 and the CG helpline no. 1554 is stored activated, as at all times. These ops centres are manned by a devoted staff {of professional} who’re properly versed to deal with such scenario.