8deadascyclone Ockhi batters TN, Kerala; authorities on alert

NATURE’S FURY Cyclone moving towards Lakshadweep; railways cancel at least 12 trains, educational institutions ordered to be closed as states prepare to battle storm

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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Heavy rains and gushing winds hammered the southern coast of Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Thursday as a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal turned into Cyclone Ockhi, killing eight people.

While four deaths were reported in Tamil Nadu, four people were killed in Kerala. Sources said the winds uprooted several trees that fell on vehicles and houses, killing five people while two died after touching live wires in Thiruvananthapuram’s Kattakada. Authorities said the toll was likely to go up as snapped communication networks had cut off several areas.

The rains accompanied by gusty winds left a trail of destruction in Kanyakumari district, in the southern most tip of the country, uprooting more than 500 trees, State Disaster Management Agency said.

At least 12 fishing boats set off to the seas from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam coasts on Wednesday night are reported to be missing. Navy helicopters have begun search operations to locate the missing fishermen.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and army personnel are on standby as heavy rains and winds are expected to continue for the next 12 hours.

Met department officials said the deep depression took cyclonic proportion early on Thursday and centered around 185km north-west of Galle in Sri Lanka and 200km south-east of Kanyakumari. Moving towards Lakshadweep, the intensity of the cyclone will slow down after the landfall, they said.

Named Ockhi — a contribution of Bangladesh — the cyclone can generate winds of speed between 100-160 kmph when it hits the land.

The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has asked civic bodies to be ready for rescue operations. Kerala police chief Loknath Behra said cops had started evacuating people from low-lying areas.

Southern Railway said it has partially cancelled some trains in Ti runelv eli-Kanya ku mariTh iruv an ant ha pu ram sector. Educational institutions have been ordered to be closed in three districts of south Kerala. Heavy rains also triggered landslides in high-range areas.

The Congress cancelled the mega rally in the state capital on Friday, which was to be inaugurated by its vice-president Rahul Gandhi. High tides swept away a major portion of the venue of the rally on the beach.

The Southern Naval Command was ready for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief , a defence release said.