Thiruvananthapuram: Search and rescue personnel today recovered the bodies of eight fishermen from the sea off the Kozhikode coast in Kerala, official sources said, taking the death toll in cyclone Ockhi to 48.
The decomposed bodies recovered by the Coast Guard and the Marine Enforcement Department will be taken to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital for conducting DNA tests for identification purposes.
The cyclone struck the southern districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu on November 30. Even after about two weeks of the natural calamity, authorities continue to grope in the dark with regard to missing fishermen, with the Latin Church claiming that persons missing in the cyclone's wake are more than the government figure of 70.
On Tuesday, a group of Latin Church officials led by Archbishop M Susaipakiam called on Kerala Governor P Sathasivam and submitted a memorandum seeking urgent steps by the Centre for the rehabilitation of the affected fishermen.
"We have urged the Governor to take up the case of affected families with the Centre. We have also urged him for continuation of search and rescue operations," the Archbishop told the media in the state capital.
While the Pinarayi Vijayan government has announced compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the family of each victim and Rs 5 lakh to those permanently disabled due to the disaster, the weekly Cabinet meeting on Wednesday is likely to make fresh announcements for the affected.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The decomposed bodies recovered by the Coast Guard and the Marine Enforcement Department will be taken to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital for conducting DNA tests for identification purposes.
The cyclone struck the southern districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu on November 30. Even after about two weeks of the natural calamity, authorities continue to grope in the dark with regard to missing fishermen, with the Latin Church claiming that persons missing in the cyclone's wake are more than the government figure of 70.
"We have urged the Governor to take up the case of affected families with the Centre. We have also urged him for continuation of search and rescue operations," the Archbishop told the media in the state capital.
Advertisement
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Kerala Top Cop Suspension Over Criticising Chief Minister Extended Now, A Hi-Tech Device To Forewarn Kerala Fishermen Of High-Sea Disasters Centre Yet To Clear Special Ockhi Package Of Rs 7,340 Crore: Kerala World's Largest Isolated Tribe Makes Rare Appearance In New Footage Why BJP Lost Lok Sabha Polls In Uttar Pradesh - 6 Reasons In Party Report Puja Khedkar's Mother Was Hiding In Lodge As "Indubai" Using Fake ID Indian Fintech Sector To Reach $420 Billion By 2029: Digital Payments Body Fix Your FASTag On Windshield Else Pay Double. See New SOPs Uttarakhand's 'Signature Bridge', Under Construction, Collapses Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.