Ockhi: Rs 5,000 relief for tribal families

Chief Minister K Palaniswami said it was brought to his notice that 1,524 tribal families in various parts of Kanniyakumari could not take up their vocation following the cyclone and that their livelihood had been severely affected. "Considering their situation, I have directed that a relief of Rs 5,000 be provided to each family," he said in a statement.

Kanniyakumari was one of the worst-hit districts by Cyclone Ockhi. Many fishermen from the district are stranded elsewhere while others are still missing.

The state government has already announced relief for fishermen and farmers of the district.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard continued its search and rescue efforts off Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Lakshadweep and Minicoy coast up to 625 kms off the coast, to trace the fishermen who went missing during the recent Cyclone Ockhi.

The Coast guard has deployed 25 ships, three aircraft, one helicopter for search of missing fishermen along West Coast of India including Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands and the Kanniyakumari coast.

Extensive sea air coordinated search were carried out by Coast Guard aircraft along with ICGS Samar and ICGS Sankalp, a Defence release on Friday said.