Four of the eight fishermen from Vady harbour here who were stranded in the sea following cyclone Ockhi were brought back to Neendakara by marine enforcement on Friday. Boats Kalvari Nathan and Velankanni that went to the sea on Thursday morning were uncommunicative in the adverse weather and now the four crew members of Kalvari Nathan have returned to the coast.
“All the four landed safe around 6 p.m. There are unconfirmed reports that the members of the boat Velankanni have reached Thiruvananthapuram. Around 20 boats were reported missing from various coasts in Kollam early on Friday and some of them were yet to return,” said an official.
Ashwin, a boat that went missing from Shakthikulangara, was traced to Kochi. However, its 12-member crew were missing. Jithin, another boat from the harbour, was still untraceable.
Rescue operations in the district are going on in full swing, especially in the cyclone-battered coastal belts.
Collector visits coast
Collector S. Karthikeyan visited disaster-hit areas at Eravipuram, Kakkathoppu, Kulathumpadam, Thanni, and Mundakkal Papanasam and reviewed relief works.
Twenty-three families were evacuated from Alappad. Fifty-two families were shifted to the relief camp at Cheriyazheekkal Government Lower Primary School and 91 people from 21 families were shifted to Eravipuram St. John’s High School.
A total of 137 houses were damaged and one destroyed in the heavy rain. Majority of the houses, 130 in total, belong to Punalur. The residents were evacuated. Three relief camps were opened in Pathanapuram.
Three injured
Of the three injured, the condition of one is critical.
Boats and helicopters of the Navy, Air Force and the Coast Guard were deployed at various locations in the district. Rescue agencies under the Fisheries Department, marine enforcement, and coastal police are also part of the rescue operations. Boat owners and crew members are cooperating with the authorities at Thankassery.
Control rooms
The Fisheries Department has opened three 24-hour control rooms in Neendakara (94476 46268), Azhikkal (94476 56462)and Thankassery (94954 34789) for fishermen to contact.
Another 24-hour control room was opened at the District Veterinary Centre to treat livestock.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed in some parts early on the day as fisherman laid siege to the Collectorate demanding better rescue operations. Enraged family members of the missing fishermen blocked the road in some areas.
