THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/KANYAKUMARI: Several fishermen continued to be stranded in rough sea even as the death toll in the Cyclone 'Ockhi' in Kerala and neighbouring Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu rose to 12 on Friday.
In a joint operation by Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard, more than 200 fishermen were taken to the shore at Thiruvananthapuram after spending more than 48 hours in the turbulent seas.
Three deaths were reported in Kerala and one in the worst-hit Kannyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, taking the toll to 12. Four deaths each were reported on Thursday from South Kerala and Kannyakumari where gusty winds uprooted hundreds of trees and electric poles, destroying scores of houses and blocking vehicular traffic.
A report from Lakshadweep said a red alert had been sounded as high waves posed a major threat to most of the islands in the region. Several low-lying areas were inundated and hundreds of trees uprooted in the wind as the cylone approached the islands.
Official sources said, 35 fishermen, who were rescued on Friday, were rushed to the Medical College Hospital where the condition of a few of them were stated to be critical. Thirty five others were undergoing treatment at the General hospital here. A special ward has been set up at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for treating those injured in the cyclone.
As many as 2,755 persons belonging to 491 families in the affected areas have been shifted to 29 relief camps, including 18 of them at Thiruvananthapuram. A total number of 56 houses were destroyed and 799 of them partially damaged.
District authorities had been mobilising ambulances in the government and private sector to the Vizhinjam coast where about 90 rescued fishermen were expected land late in the evening.
A Japanese Merchant Ship alone rescued 60 fishermen from the deep sea.
Fisheries Minister J Mercykutty said Navy and Air Force helicopters airlifted 39 fishermen from the turbulent seas on Friday afternoon.
Briefing newspersons after an emergency meeting, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Government machinery was in full swing as the present weather situation would continue for the next 24 hours.