Cyclone Ockhi: Toll mounts to 26, search on for missing fishermen

Notwithstanding the strong warning by  authorities, the fishermen left Poonthura and Vizhinjam coast, alleging that the official machinery was not effective in rescue operations.

The cyclone that left a trail of destruction in Kerala, South Tamil Nadu and the Lakshadweep archipelago claimed 26 lives, including 17 in Kerala and nine in Tamil Nadu, and caused injuries to scores of people besides damaging property and crop worth crores of rupees.

Local fishermen retrieved a body from the sea off Poonthura, while another person, among the 138 fishermen who reached Kalpeni island in the Lakshadweep archipelago, died on Sunday morning. 

Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard continued their rescue operations, bring back 28 more fishermen who were stranded in the sea for more than 72 hours without food and medicine.

After a high-level meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Tourism Minister Alphonse Kannanthanam said adequate funds would be provided to Kerala for the rescue and relief operations. "We are continuing our rescue operations as 92 persons from Kerala are still reported missing."

He said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would visit affected areas in Kannyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram to take stock of the situation.

However, the weather office said the Ockhi over Southeast Arabian Sea further moved north- northwestwards with a speed of 14 kmph during past six hours and lay centred over southeast and adjoining eastcentral Arabian Sea, about 390 km west-northwest of Amini Divi, 910 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 1120 km south-southwest of Surat. 

It is very likely to move north-northwestwards during next 12 hours and then recurve northeastwards during the subsequent 48 hours and weaken gradually.

A report from Kavaratti said the situation in Lakshadweep was now limping back to normalcy after the cyclone hit the archipelago on Saturday.       

Steps were being taken to restore communication and electricity in affected areas.

At least 68 fishing vessels with total 952 fishermen on board reached Devgad in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. "All are safe. Maharashtra will completely look after everyone till weather permits them to go back," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis tweeted in response to the Defence Minister's tweet seeking help.