Cyclone Ockhi, which hit Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Lakshadweep islands, is expected to head towards parts of coastal Maharashtra and Gujarat in the next two days.
The National Disaster Management Association said the cyclone over the Arabian Sea will move towards South Gujarat and then weaken gradually. The agency warned fishermen in the coastal regions of the two states against venturing out to the sea.
However, the storm is not expected to cause the kind of havoc it did in the southern states. “Recurving cyclones are rare, but barring some clouds and maybe light rain, I don’t think it will be like what is now seen in Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” The Hindu quoted an unidentified IMD official as saying.
Light rains are also expected in Mumbai on Monday, Skymet Weather said.
The Indian Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard are conducting joint search operations for fishermen. On Sunday morning, 10 ships and three aircraft were deployed off Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Lakshadweep islands, the Indian Coast Guard tweeted.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari later on Sunday.
So far, 22 people have died in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu and Kerala because of Cyclone Ockhi. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said at least 531 stranded fishermen were rescued off the Kerala and Lakshadweep coasts. More than 6,000 people have taken shelter in 34 relief camps in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Alappuzha and Malappuram, The Hindu reported.
Vijayan said the Kerala government will give families of the fishermen who died in the storm Rs 10 lakh as compensation, in addition to the Rs 4 lakh from the Fisheries Department. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami announced compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the relatives of those killed.
The Tamil Nadu government will seek central funds for the damage caused by Ockhi in the southern parts of the state. Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts were the worst hit.
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