# Cyclone Tauktae

• Cyclone Tauktae that entered Maharashtra early on tuesday, whipping upwinds close to 180 KMPH.

• The wind speed reduced in intensity and lay about 35 KM west of Ahmedabad late in the evening-according to Indian meterological department.

• Rain is expected to continue in Gujarat and Rajasthan for the next 24 hours as the storm further weakens into a “depression” near jodhpur by wednesday.

• Atleast 13 people were killed in Gujarat as the storm wreaked damage on roads, power lines, trees and buildings.

# Vaccination in rural India

• Even as the second covid-19 wave shows signs of easing, it is spreading in rural areas.

• The rate of vaccination is far lower in the rural areas than in urban areas.

• While more than 60% of cases were from the rural and semi-rural districts, only an estimated 12-15% of inhabitants have received atleast one dose of the covid-19 vaccine by march 14.

• In contrast, an estimated 30% of residents in urban and 19% in semi-urban areas have received atleast one shot.

# Andhra Pradesh

• Two Telugu channels on tuesday accused the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led Andhra government of attempting to silence the media and critics on the state’s handling of the covid-19 crisis.

• TV5 said it had aired critical remarks made by ruling YSR congress party MP K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju about the state’s handling of the covid crisis.

• This YSRC MP has been booked by Andhra government against sedition charges for criticising Andhra government.

# Covid-19

• Over 98% of India’s population continues to be vulnerable or susceptible to covid-19, said Lav Agarwal, joint secretary, health ministry.

• The world health organisation (WHO) would unveil a system of naming of coronavirus variants drawn from the way tropical storms are named.

• WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said the new naming system should go live soon.

# Colombo port city

• A chinese funded tax-free enclave billed as Sri Lanka’s answer to Dubai and Singapore cleared the final legal hurdle on tuesday.

• The supreme court of Srilanka has cleared the colombo port city project with only minor tweaks.

• The largest single foreign investment in Srilanka is one of several massive asian infrastructure projects funded by China as Beijing increases its regional foot print.