Cyclone Ockhi: There is a relief for Gujarat and Maharashtra as storm weakens near Arabian Sea.
Cyclone Ockhi has weakened into a depression and will not hit the Gujarat coast near Surat as predicted earlier, the Meteorological Centre said. Though it will bring light to moderate rain in several parts of Gujarat for the next three days.
Nearly half-a-dozen rallies by star campaigners from both sides, scheduled for yesterday and today, had to be cancelled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose rally at Surat today has been postponed by a day, asked senior party leaders of the state to focus on extending all help to people likely to be hit by the cyclone Ockhi. The Congress campaign was equally affected, with three rallies of Rahul Gandhi being put off. Rahul Gandhi, who is set to be his party's president, had addressed a rally in Anjar yesterday, but his meetings at Morbi, Dhrangadhra and Surendranagar could not be held.
The Cyclone Ockhi, which has already cost 25 lives in Kerala, had moved northwards over the last two days.
Here are the live updates of Cyclone Ockhi:
Governor Justice P Sathasivam lauded Kerala government's decision to increase the solatium to Rs 20 lakh to the families of fishermen who lost their lives.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan briefs Governor Justice P Sathasivam on the rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of Cyclone Ockhi.
Sunday night's Supermoon, and not Cyclone Ockhi, responsible for damage to Goa's coastline and beach shacks, says Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar
The Tamil Nadu government today said a total of 4,501 houses in cyclone Ockhi-hit Kanyakumari have suffered partial and full damage and relief to the tune of Rs. 41 lakh has been provided in this regard so far.
- As per the IMD release, the sea condition would be rough along and off south Gujarat and adjoining north Maharashtra coasts during the next 12 hours.
- "Fishermen along and off north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts are advised not to venture into sea during the next 12 hours," the release said.
- Amid his busy poll campaign schedule, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and state chief secretary J N Singh rushed to Surat yesterday to oversee the relief operations.
Indian Navy search and rescue operation continues for missing fishermen off Kerala coast
"Operation Synergy" -- a joint rescue mission by the Navy, the Air Force, Coast Guard and state fisheries department has so far brought 252 fishermen to safety.
Surat received light rain in the early morning hours.
3 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and 2 from Kerala to join rescue operations for 3 days on board INS Kalpeni .
- Cyclone Ockhi, which battered parts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep islands, did not hit off Surat coast as expected.
- It possibly dissipated over Arabian sea due to unfavourable environmental conditions, like high wind shear and colder sea surface temperatures near the coast, the weather office said.
- Rescue teams, however, are still on alert to deal with any emergency situation.
- Around 1,600 people have been shifted to safer places in Surat, officials said.
- Teams of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF have been stationed along the Gujarat coast near Surat and Saurashtra.