Cyclone Ockhi disaster: Kerala seeks help of boat owners to trace missing

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has appealed boat owners to provide 200 vessels and men to widen the area of search operations as far as Goan shores. Further, the government has decided to prepare a detailed presentation to be shown to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will halt at Rajbh-avan on Tuesday. Mr Vijayan had called a meeting of fishermen's organisations, boat owners’ association and members of the Latin Catholic Church at Thycaud Guest House. The delegation appealed the Chief Minister to disburse the promised relief as early as possible.

Mr Vijayan said that the solatium would be paid in one instalment. Apart from available schemes more Central funds will be sought for those affected by sea erosion and tidal activities triggered by Ockhi. The official figures of missing fishers were less than half of the claims of the laity — around 300. “Some of the fishermen spend up to 40 days in high seas for fishing. So the real numbers of Ockhi affected can be ascertained only after Christmas,” said fisheries minister J. Mercykutty Amma.

Few hours before the meeting of stakeholders the CM had appealed boat owners to be part of small groups that would have to comb the seas as far as Goan shores. Last week itself the rescuers had pointed out that the size of naval vessels does not complement search and extraction of bodies. Small vessels were deemed to be more useful. Ministers Kadakamp-ally Surendran and E. Chandrasekharan and chief secretary K.M. Abraham were also part of the meeting. As per officials over 70 people had died and 105 fishermen were missing after the cyclone that hit Kerala on November 30.