KANYAKUMARI/CHENNAI: Cyclone Ockhi, that killed eight people in coastal Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is moving closer to Lakshadweep. As of this morning, Cyclone Ockhi is hovering 160 km east of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea. The Met office said the worst seems to be over in the mainland and that the cyclone has moved away from Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram. But the forecasters have warned of heavy rain in south Kerala for the next 24 hours and south Tamil Nadu for the next 12 hours. Schools in the coastal districts in the two states have been closed. Over 80 fishermen from Kerala remain missing and are suspected to be stranded at sea.
- Several trains to and from Thiruvananthapuram were either delayed, cancelled or re-scheduled due to heavy rains overnight and the forecast of further rains.
- Five fishing boats are reported to have sunk near Lakshadweep’s Kalpeni island. No casualties have been reported.
- The National Disaster Response Force or NDRF and Navy teams are on standby for moving towards the Lakshadweep islands for search and rescue operations.
- As of this morning, the incessant rains have stopped in Kerala’s capital of Thiruvananthapuram.
- The Met office said the worst is over and the cyclone has moved away from Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram. But it is intensifying on way to Lakshadweep and the wind speed and rain could cause damage.
- Four people were killed and dozens of houses were damaged in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari, the police said. Four others were killed in Kerala.
- Water has entered a popular, 17th century temple in Kanyakumari’s Shuchindram and several villages in the region.
- Chennai received up to 5 cm rain of rain between 8:30 last night and and 5:30 this morning, the Met department said. Intermittent rain has been predicted in Chennai for today.
- Over 800 people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Kanyakumari. Several areas are without electricity.
- Cyclone Ockhi was named by Bangladesh after the Bengali word for “eye”.
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