NAGAPATTINAM: Around 250 fishers in 29 boats from Nagapattinam and Karaikal have been advised to wait at emergency halting points at harbours away from their home till the weather clears. At least 24 trawlers from Karaikal and five from Nagapattinam are yet to return to their hamlets.
The boats had gone for fishing in Palk Strait, dozens of nautical miles southeast of Kodiyakarai a few days ago, before the cyclone alert was sounded. “The fishers reached Kodiyakarai on Tuesday evening. We have asked them to stay there and wait for updates before making a move.
If the cyclone is heading anywhere close towards Nagapattinam, we have asked them to go to the harbours in Jegathapattinam (Pudukkottai district) and Mallipattinam (Thanjavur district),” said R Amal Xavier, the joint director of fisheries department in Nagapattinam.
The five boats from Nagapattinam had about 50 fishers while the 24 Karaikal boats had about 200. There were rumours about fishers missing from Karaikal on Tuesday morning, but officials have ruled them out. “We have established contact with all fishers and all are safe at the moment.
They can start towards Karaikal when weather becomes normal. We have intimated the administrations of Thanjavur and Pudukkottai about their arrival,” said R Kaviyarasan, deputy director of fisheries department in Karaikal. Both officials added the fishermen are unable to travel fast due to rough seas.