No advance warning on cyclone: Kerala CM

trivandrum — Under flak over the way rescue operations were handled, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said there was no advance warning about Cyclone Ockhi and cleared a slew of packages for those affected.

Chairing his cabinet meeting, Vijayan also announced fresh measures to tackle similar calamities so that destruction could be minimized.

Addressing reporters later, Vijayan said the first information the state government got about the cyclone was on November 30 noon.

“There was no advance information about Cyclone Ockhi at all. On November 30, at 8.30am the India Meteorological Department intimated about a very deep deep depression about 170km off Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) coast.

“Even at that time, there was no mention of cyclone. And by that time fishermen had already ventured into the sea.

“Even the union ministers who came here said there was no fault on the part of the state government and in an hour’s time the defence personnel began rescue work.”

Vijayan said this was one of the biggest ever rescue operations done. It was ongoing and would continue till the last fisherman was brought back.