Ockhi: Death toll goes up 57 with more bodies found

Kozhikode: The death toll due to Ockhi cyclone, which hit the Kerala coast, rose to 57 Wednesday as the Coast Guard and Marine Enforcement agencies that were conducting searches off the coast of Kozhikode and Kochi recovered five bodies.

Three bodies were recovered off Beypore cost early Wednesday while two bodies were found off Kochi coast, taking the toll to 57. the search for the missing fishermen in the high seas is still underway.

On Tuesday, officials at the state control room monitoring the search operations had said six bodies were found off Kozhikode while two bodies were found off Kochi late Monday night.

Of the total bodies recovered, 24 were found off the coast of Thiruvananthapuram and 12 off Kochi. Seven bodies were found off Kollam, nine off Kozhikode, Malappuram two and one each from Thrissur, Kannur and Kasaragod.

Search operations would continue as 90 fishermen were still missing, official sources said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Tuesday urged people to donate towards the Ockhi Cyclone Relief Fund set up by the state governmnet for rehabilitation of the affected families.

Vijayan said employees of the state and central governments, private institutions and people in social and cultural fields should contribute generously to the fund.

He also said the help of individuals, institutions and organisations was necessary as a huge amount was needed for taking up rehabilitation projects.

State Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty visited the Pozhiyur coastal area of the district to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of the Latin Catholic church Soosa Pakiam met governor P Sathasivam and raised various demands, including an intensive search for missing fishermen.

The state government has announced a relief package for the affected victims, which, among other things, included Rs 20 lakh each to the families of those who died in the cyclone that ravaged the coast on November 29-30.