Cyclone Ockhi-hit 321 fishermen reach Maharashtra coast: Devendra Fadnavis

Fadnavis said 28 more boats, carrying 321 fishermen, which were caught in rough seas due to Cyclone Ockhi, have safely reached Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (File | PTI)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (File | PTI)

MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said 28 more boats, carrying 321 fishermen, which were caught in rough seas due to Cyclone Ockhi, have safely reached Maharashtra's Ratnagiri coast today.

Of these, 23 are from Tamil Nadu, three from Kerala and two from Karnataka, he said.

"Due to #CycloneOckhi 28 more boats with 321 fishermen landed at Ratnagiri today," Fadnavis tweeted.

The boats are now docked at Mirya Bunder, Ratnagiri. All fishermen are safe and officials are looking after them with utmost care, the chief minister said.

Fadnavis had yesterday tweeted that in all, 68 fishing boats, out of which 66 were from Kerala and two from Tamil Nadu, had reached Sindhudurg coast with 952 fishermen on- board.

"I have given orders to the Maharashtra Maritime Board and the district collector, to make all arrangements for the stranded fishermen," he had said.

"Local authorities are already with them and taking care of all arrangements to make everyone feel at home," the chief minister had said.

Thanking Fadnavis for the assistance, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had tweeted, "Thanks Hon.CM @Dev_Fadnavis for understanding the sense of urgency in this matter of fishermen reaching Devgad minor port, Maharashtra." "These fishermen from near Calicut, Kerala were caught in #CycloneOckhi. Grateful to CM who agreed to help immediately," she had said on Twitter.

According to the latest MeT department bulletin, Cyclone Ockhi has moved north-northwestwards during the past six hours and lay centered over southeast and east-central Arabian Sea, about 390km west-northwest of Amini Divi island of Lakshadweep.

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