After damage in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, cyclone Ockhi intensified to a "severe" storm, headed for Lakshadweep
7 people have died in coastal Kerala and 6 in Tamil Nadu and nearly 90 fishermen are missing as a depression above the Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclonic storm. Cyclone Ockhi intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and moved towards Lakshadweep today after causing heavy rain that has left around 13 people dead in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Navy has been called in to rescue stranded fishermen. Cyclone Ockhi is likely to strengthen further, triggering a "red warning" for Lakshadweep - the highest category alert. The worst seems to be over in the mainland but forecasters have warned of heavy rain in parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Schools near the coast in the two states have been closed. In Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts of Tamil Nadu, strong winds uprooted more than 500 trees, snapped power lines and damaged settlements close to the sea. Heavy rain is likely to continue.
Here are the live updates on cyclone Ockhi:
Over 1,200 hit by Cyclone Ockhi, according to PTI
According to PTI, the Tamil Nadu government has said 1,200 people were affected by Cyclone Ockhi in Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts. They have been lodged in relief camps.
7 Dead in Kerala and 6 in Tamil Nadu
According to reports, 7 people have died in the aftermath of Cyclone Ockhi in Kerala and 6 people have died in Tamil Nadu.
The cyclone has moved towards Lakshadweep.
Cyclone Ockhi: 10 Dead In Tamil Nadu, Kerala Rain, "Red Warning" For Lakshadweep - 10 FactsCyclone Ockhi intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and moved towards Lakshadweep today after causing heavy rain that has left at least 10 people dead in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Navy has been called in to rescue stranded fishermen. Cyclone Ockhi is likely to strengthen further, triggering a "red warning" for Lakshadweep - the highest category alert. The worst seems to be over in the mainland but forecasters have warned of heavy rain in parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Schools near the coast in the two states have been closed.
In Lakshadweep, orders have been issued to evacuate people from low-lying areas in Kalpeni, Minicoy, Kavratti, Agatti, Androth, Kadamath and Amini islands, official sources said. People are being shifted to schools, they said. Five boats anchored at a jetty in Kalpeni were damaged in heavy rains, coupled with strong winds.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state has asked the defence ministry to deploy more aircraft for rescue operations as the cyclonic storm moving towards Lakshadweep. Top Navy officials said they deployed two ships to the Lakshadweep Islands for carrying out rescue and rehabilitation operations in the island.
Rescue Operations Continue In Full Swing
Even though the sea continued to be rough, rescue operations are going on in full swing. The Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force are engaged in rescue operations with their ships, aircraft and helicopters. Besides engaging divers, the Indian Navy has deployed two aircraft and an advanced light helicopter (ALH). The Indian Navy is putting in "maximum effort" to rescue fishermen from the sea which is very rough under the influence of Cyclone Ockhi, Vice Admiral AR Karve, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, told reporters on board the INS Tir at the naval base in Kochi.
150 Fishermen Rescued From Sea After Being Stranded Due To Cyclone Ockhi
150 fishermen, who put out to sea from various southern districts, were rescued, Thiruvananthapuram District Commissioner K Vasuki said, adding that efforts were on to bring the rest of the stranded fishermen to the shore. "There is no need to panic," she said. The rescued fishermen included those who were saved by a Japanese cargo vessel. The vessel has rescued 60 fishermen from mid-sea. They are being brought to the Vizhinjam coast near here, she said. Many rescued fishermen have been admitted to the medical college here and general hospitals since they were weak after being in the sea for the last 48 hours, the official said.
More than 500 trees were uprooted in the district as the rains accompanied by gusty winds left a trail of destruction in the district yesterday. Electricity department personnel were trying to restore the power supply in the district. Trees in the premises of the famous Padmanabhapuram Palance too were uprooted. A portion of roof-tiles were also damaged.
Very heavy rainfall occurred in 21 places. A senior Met department official said the rainfall for the Oct 1-Nov 27 period, which was about 18 per cent less than usual in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, has improved substantially due to the rains brought by the cyclone. The Coast Guard has deployed two ships - Vaibhav and Aadesh - besides a Dornier aircraft for search and rescue operations in the sea off Kanyakumari.
An Met department bulletin said Cyclone Ockhi over Southeast Arabian Sea continued to move west-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph. It lies over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea about 90km northeast of Minicoy and 270km south-southeast of Amini Divi. "The system is very likely to intensify further during the next 24 hours," the bulletin said. Widespread rainfall has been reported in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry with Papanasam (Tirunelveli district) recording 45 cm rain, Regional Meteorological Centre Director S Balachandran said.
"A well marked low pressure is lying over South Andaman Sea and its neighbourhood. It is expected to concentrate into a depression in the next 48 hours," Regional Meteorological Centre Director S Balachandran said. Mr Balachandran said the system is likely to move towards north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra coast in the next four days. "This is the current situation and we are monitoring the system," he said. In the next 24 hours, more rainfall is expected in most places in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Heavy rainfall can be expected in Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni and Dindigul, he said. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along the Kanyakumari coast and Arabian sea, he added. Cyclone Ockhi, which in Bengali means 'eye', today intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and moved to the Arabian Sea.
A Depression alert has been issued over Cyclone Ockhi in the south Andaman Sea. 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 rainfall to Tamil Nadu. Five People have died in Tamil Nadu and five in neighbouring Kerala. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami announced a solatium of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of each of the victims, said an official release.
It forecast rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (more than 20 cm) over Lakshadweep area during next 24 hours. Rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places were very likely over Kerala during next 24 hours. With rains continuing to hit normal life in south Tamil Nadu, a holiday was declared for schools and colleges in five districts, including Kanyakumari, which bore the brunt yesterday. The Thamirabharani river in Tirunelveli district was in spate in view of copious rains. Rains also hit several other parts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai and its surroundings since last night, following which holiday was declared for schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram and parts of Tiruvallu district as also some other districts.
Ockhi cyclone intensified into severe cyclone and lies at about 110 km northeast of Minicoy (island) and it is likely to cross Lakshadweep arch during the next 24 hours, the weather department said in a bulletin this morning. Gale winds speed reaching 110-120 kmph gusting to 130 kmph were very likely over and around Lakshadweep during next 24 hours. Squally wind conditions would prevail along and off Kerala and Karnataka coast.
The weather department said Kanyakumari, Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts in Tamil Nadu received rains for the third day today though the cyclone threat mitigated as the system, lying 70 kms south of Kanyakumari yesterday, moved to the Arabian sea.
A Defence spokesperson today said 13 boats with 38 crew from Kerala and one boat from Tamil Nadu with four persons onbard were missing. A Navy aircraft rescued eight of them. "The fishermen were found floating in water by Advance Light Helicopter," the spokesperson said.
Earlier today Cyclone Ockhi intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and moved to the Arabian Sea even as the navy rescued eight fishermen caught in choppy waters and intensified search for 30 others missing. Rains, which left ten persons dead including five each in Tamil Nadu and Kerala yesterday, continued to lash parts of the two states.
Two AN32 Aircraft located people stranded in the sea and coast guard and navy have been informed about the location of the fishermen and floating boats, a PIB press release said. Though two Air Force choppers are ready for rescue operations, but due to the rough weather over the Arabian sea, they have not been able to airborne, the release added.
At least four fishermen who managed to reach the shores early today said they saw several overturned boats. The latest observations, radar and satellite images released by the weather department this morning indicate that the cyclonic storm over Southeast Arabian sea has moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 25 kmph during the past 6 hours and lay centred at 0230 today over the Southeast Arabian sea, about 230 km west of Thiruvananthapuram and 160 km east of Minicoy.
Five ships had been sent to the southern Kerala coast yesterday by the navy after reports emerged that several fishermen who had put out to sea in choppy waters were yet to return. Two ships with relief materials are on stand by for humanitarian assistance to Lakshadweep.
The government had also sought help from the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard and the Indian Air Force for assisting those in distress. The navy, which had yesterday sent a Seaking helicopter for the search operations, this morning deployed a Dornier and an ALH with divers, Southern Naval Command spokesperson Commander Sreedhar Warrier told news agency PTI.
Search operations for the several missing fishermen, who had put out to sea from the coast in Thiruvananthapuram, resumed this morning and carried on through the day with Navy deploying a Dornier and an Advanced light helicopter (ALH) with divers. Normal life had been affected in the rain-battered south Kerala coast yesterday under the influence of Cyclone Ockhi with 4 persons losing their lives even as the state government put the official machinery on a high alert.
Over a thousand people have been evacuated in Kanniyakumari. They have been put up in 16 relief camps. Dozens of people are still missing. 62 houses have been completely damaged, while 240 others were partially damaged dur to high winds and torrential rain. The Kanyakumari-Tirunelvelli highway was also blocked due to a tree fall.
A P8I aircraft, a Dornier aircraft of the Indian Navy and a Dornier aircraft of the Coast Guard are also being used for search and rescue operations. Helicopters are on standby with divers as well.
5 Navy ships have been deployed from Kochi. Two ships are on standby in Lakshadweep. Two Coast Guard ships have also been deployed from Kochi & Tuticorin.
Cyclone Ockhi has been named by Bangladesh after the Bengali word for "eye". Cyclone Ockhi formed after a 'depression' over the Bay of Bengal turned into a cyclonic storm.
Chennai received up to 5 cm of rain between 8:30 last night and and 5:30 this morning, the Met department said. Intermittent rain has been predicted in Chennai for today.
Water had entered a popular, 17th century temple in Kanyakumari's Shuchindram and several villages in the region. More than 800 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas in Kanyakumari. Several areas are without electricity.
Four people were killed and dozens of houses were damaged in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari, the police said. Four others were killed in Kerala.
The Met office said the worst is over and the cyclone has moved away from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari and Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, but is intensifying on its way to Lakshadweep islands and the wind speed and rain could cause damage.
As of this morning, the incessant rains have stopped in Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram, however, the Met department has warned of heavy rain in the state for the next 24 hours.
The National Disaster Response Force or NDRF and Navy teams are on stand-by for moving towards the Lakshadweep islands for search and rescue operations.
Five fishing boats are reported to have sunk near Lakshadweep's Kalpeni island. However, no casualties have been reported yet from Lakshadweep.
Several trains to and from Thiruvananthapuram have either been delayed, cancelled or re-scheduled due to heavy rainfall overnight and the forecast of further rains.
Forecasters have however, warned of heavy rain in south Kerala for the next 24 hours and south Tamil Nadu for the next 12 hours. Schools in the coastal districts in the two states have been closed. Over 80 fishermen from Kerala remain missing and are suspected to be stranded at sea.
Cyclone Ockhi, that killed eight people in coastal Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is moving closer to Lakshadweep, which is on high alert. As of this morning, Cyclone Ockhi is hovering 160 km east of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea. The weather department said the worst seems to be over in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and that the cyclone has moved away from Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram.