THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KANYAKUMARI: At least 43 people were killed as Cyclone Ockhi wrecks havoc in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep. Death toll in the coastal areas of Kerala rose to 19 even as over 600 fishermen stranded at sea were rescued. Storm Ockhi has centred itself over east central and south east central Arabian Sea, killing 14 in Lakshadweep Islands and at least 10 in Tamil Nadu. The storm is reportedly heading towards Gujarat. Sources said 11 of those dead in Kerala were from state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
They said a total of 690 fishermen have been rescued in combined operations carried out by the Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force. Ninety six are still missing. Following the storm 63 houses were fully damaged and 74 partially. As many as 6,581 persons have been shifted to various relief camps. The Met office said a fresh bout of rainfall is expected to lash Tamil Nadu as the well-marked low pressure area over the south Andaman sea is likely to turn into a depression in the next two days. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reviewed the search and rescue operations in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Sitharaman tweeted, “An update on the search and rescue efforts being done by the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force to save the lives of fishermen affected by #CycloneOckhi: 357 fishermen have been saved as of 10 am today”. She flew to Kanyakumari, one of the worst-hit areas, and held discussions with deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam along with other ministers and officials. She reportedly also heard people's grievances. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami said work to rescue fishermen in Coimbatore is in full swing with the Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, deploying aircraft and ships.
A bulletin by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone has moved further northwest-wards at a speed of 12 kmph, laying centred about 440 km west-northwest of Amin Divi, 870 km south-west of Mumbai and 1,070 km south-south west of Surat.
