Cyclone Tauktae: Indian Navy rescues 177 personnel from P305 near Bombay High

New Delhi:The Indian navy is working to rescue scores of people from two vessels off the coast near Mumbai. Cyclone Tauktae — the biggest such storm to hit the region in decades — has claimed at least 20 lives across India.(PIC-UNI)

India's navy was seeking crew members from a sunken barge on Tuesday, as well as those aboard a secondary cargo vessel off the coast near Mumbai.

The rescue operations were launched after Cyclone Tauktae made landfall in Gujarat state, packing winds of up to 210 kilometers (130 miles) per hour. It is the strongest storm to hit the region in decades.

What's happening off the coast?

The navy said it had rescued 177 people of the total 400 who were on the two barges in the Arabian Sea.

Three of the navy's main warships were scouring the seas as part of the rescue operations to find the dozens of people still missing.

The operations were expected to continue throughout the day in "extremely challenging sea conditions."

The two barges are owned by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation — India's biggest natural gas and crude oil company.Huge evacuation operation.Cyclone Tauktae arrived with sustained winds of up to 210 kilometers (130 miles) per hour when it came ashore in Gujarat state late on Monday.

The storm has killed at least 20 people across the states of Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.Authorities in Mumbai closed the city's airport and urged people to stay indoors.

Some 200,000 people were evacuated in Gujarat, where all COVID-19 patients near the coast were moved to safer locations.The Indian Meteorological Department downgraded Tauktae on Tuesday morning from "very severe" to "extremely severe."

On May 17, a total of 60 persons from Barge P305 of Bombay High Oil fields were rescued till 2300 hrs, 42 persons were rescues by INS Kochi and 18 by offshore support vessel Energy Star in extremely challenging sea conditions and the Search and Rescue (SAR) operations continued through the night for the remaining crew.

In a separate effort, INS Kolkata had rescued two survivors from the life raft of vessel Vara Prabha; and has now joined INS Kochi for the SAR of Barge P305 crew yesterday.

On May 17,'Gal Constructor' a barge with 137 persons onboard has been adrift off Colaba Point due to engine trouble and the vessel has been approached by an Emergency Towing Vessel 'Water Lily' which has arrived in its vicinity for rendering assistance. The barge continues to drift in view of extreme sea conditions.

The Indian Navy on Monday afternoon received an urgent SOS message from the the two Barges of Ministry of Petroleum and Gas PSU ONGC operated Bombay High Oil fields carrying 400 personnel drifted from its position near Heera oil field and sought help to rescue them.

Despite the extremely severe cyclonic storm Taukrae in Arabian Sea, India Navy dispatched its ships INS Koch and Kolkata to SAR operation.