Narendra Modi to visit Cyclone Ockhi-hit areas in Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu and Kerala tomorrow

Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala on Tuesday to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Ockhi, which left a trail of destruction in the two states and the Union Territory. The prime minister, on a one-day visit, would review the situation arising in the aftermath of the cyclone and status of relief operations at Kavaratti, Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram, official sources said. Modi would fly to Agatti from Mangaluru at around 7:35 am and leave for Kavratti. [caption id=“attachment_4264511” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] After nearly an hour’s programme, he would return to Agatti and fly to Thiruvananthapuram, official sources in Lakshadweep said. On reaching the state capital at around 1:50 pm, he would take a helicopter to Kanyakumari, where he will meet officials and assess the damage caused by the cyclone. The prime minister would also get a first-hand report from the some of the affected fishermen, district officials at Kanyakumari told PTI. Modi would return to Thiruvananthapuram and visit Poonthura, a nearby fishing village from where some of the deceased fishermen hailed. The prime minister would then meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and some of his cabinet colleagues, including revenue minister E Chandrasekharan and Fisheries minister J Mercykutty at the Raj Bhavan, according to sources in the chief minister’s office. Chief Secretary KM Abraham would also give a presentation on the calamity and the devastation caused in coastal regions of the state capital, including Poonthura, Vizhinjam, Pozhiyur, and Adimalithura. After the meeting, the prime minister will leave for Delhi. The Kerala chief minister had earlier met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and sought the central assistance of Rs 1,843 crore. The state also wanted the Centre to declare the devastation caused by the cyclone as a national disaster. According to government estimates, 70 persons have so far lost their lives in Kerala in the cyclone and around 105 persons are still missing. Meanwhile, search operations are continuing for the missing fishermen with the state government seeking the support of local boat owners. The government has decided to extend the search operations up to Goan shores. The cyclone that hit the state on 29-30 November had also caused large-scale damage to crops and property.