Ockhi claims 6 more lives, toll 14
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Six more people died in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Friday as torrential rains and winds triggered by cyclone Ockhi battered the southern coast taking the toll to 14.
A red warning has been issued to Lakshadweep as the cyclone continued to move towards the archipelago. It is expected to make landfall on the island in the early hours of Saturday.
A low pressure system over the South Andaman Sea is expected to turn into a depression in the next 48 hours, which may bring more rain to Tamil Nadu, Regional Meteorological Centre director S Balachandran said.
At least 200 fishermen marooned in the deep sea were rescued in a joint operation carried out by the navy, air force and coast guard. Besides this, a Japanese cargo ship rescued 60 people.
Thiruvananthpuram district collector Dr K Vasuki, who is co-ordinating rescue work in Kerala, said at least 40 fishermen are still stranded in the sea.
Many of the rescued have been admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram medical college hospital that has opened up a special ward for cyclone victims.
In Chennai, chief minister K Palaniswami took stock of the situation and announced a solatium of ~4 lakh to the kin of each of the victims, an official release said, adding over 1,200 people affected by the heavy rain in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts have been lodged in relief camps.
In Kerala, three more deaths were reported on Friday. Xaviour Luis (57), a native of Poonthura in Thiruvananthpuram, died after his boat collapsed and another fisherman rescued by the coast guard later succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Rescue team brought another unidentified body to the shore.
Five damaged boats washed ashore in Kerala coasts. There was no information about fishermen working on these boats. Similarly at least 2,000 families living near the sea and in low-lying areas have been evacuated.
Amid the fury of the cyclone, a raging controversy erupted after many fishermen alleged that they were not given any warning by the state fisheries department. However, the National Disaster Management Authority claimed that it informed two state governments, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, about the impending cyclonic storms and heavy rains. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said his government received the warning on Thursday.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh has assured the states of all help from the Centre and said more helicopters will be pressed into service.
The rains have intensified followed by gushing winds and both the states are likely to experience heavy showers and winds reaching speeds of 75kmph in the next 36 hours.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and BJP in Kerala slammed the government over the alleged delay.
It was a grave lapse from the side of the government that all these warnings were ignored by them, Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said.