Trees uprooted, boats stranded and power disrupted as coastal villages caught off guard
Strong winds left a trail of destruction at Cavelossim on Saturday evening. (Below) Lightning ripped through a coconut tree at Benaulim.
MARGAO
Many parts of Salcete were caught completely off guard on Saturday evening after strong gusty winds accompanied by lightning and thunder lashed several villages across the taluka, leaving behind a trail of destruction and raising questions over the absence of timely weather warnings.
The sudden weather disturbance struck coastal areas including Cavelossim and Mobor, uprooting trees, damaging electricity poles and disrupting normal life. Residents and local operators claimed that Salcete had not figured in the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) advisory warning of lightning and thunder activity issued earlier in the day.
Two cruise boats were reportedly stranded in the River Sal and in the sea off the Cavelossim-Mobor coast after the rough weather swept through the area. Water sports operators and fishermen operating along the Salcete coastline said they had received no prior alert from authorities, including the Captain of Ports Department. In fact, a water sports operator said the Captain of Ports conveyed the IMD warning just 5-10 minutes before strong winds lashed the coast.
Instances of lightning strikes were also reported from different parts of the taluka. In one incident, lightning struck a coconut tree, ripping through it completely. A family living less than 10 metres away from the damaged tree escaped unhurt, residents said.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz said the coastal village was taken by surprise by the sudden cyclonic winds. “Many trees were uprooted and several electricity poles were damaged due to the intensity of the winds. Our panchayat disaster management team immediately swung into action and the roads were cleared of debris late in the evening,” Vaz said.
He added that even operators of tourist boats and water sports activities on the River Sal were left unprepared for the sudden change in weather conditions. “We were all taken by surprise, including water sports operators and tourist boat operators on the River Sal. The IMD should have issued specific warnings for the coastal belt to avoid any untoward incidents,” Vaz said.
Referring to one of the affected vessels, the sarpanch said a tourist boat carrying passengers was caught in the storm. “The roof of the boat was blown off due to the strong winds and the vessel had to rush back to shore,” he added.
Cavelossim panch member and water sports operator Jesus D’Costa also criticised the authorities for failing to alert local operators and fishermen.
“There was no communication or warning about the cyclonic winds. Had we been alerted in advance, necessary precautions could have been taken to ensure the safety of tourists, fishermen and operators,” D’Costa said.
The sudden weather event also impacted fishermen operating off the Salcete coast, with many forced to return to shore amid rough sea conditions and poor visibility caused by heavy clouds and lightning activity.
Residents in several villages reported power disruptions as electricity infrastructure suffered damage due to falling trees and branches.
The incident has triggered demands for better coordination between weather agencies, coastal authorities and local bodies to ensure timely dissemination of warnings, particularly during sudden and severe weather events along Goa’s coastline.
