Cyclone Ockhi likely to weaken

Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday said cyclonic storm Ockhi was likely to move in the northeasterly direction and gradually weaken.

"The cyclonic storm has moved away from the Lakshadweep islands and is now about 1,000 km Southwest of Surat. The system is likely to move in the northeasterly direction and gradually weaken," the minister said, in a press statement.

Expressing concern over the missing fishermen, the union minister said the rescue operations were in full swing by the coast guard and the Indian Navy and that the fishermen would be saved and brought back home very soon.

The cyclonic storm which formed off the Sri Lanka coast on November 27 moved along the Kerala and the Tamil Nadu coast largely affected Lakshadweep islands.

The India Meteorological Department started warnings for heavy rainfall and strong winds for Kerala and South Tamil Nadu from November 28 itself.

On November 29, the MET department issued the first bulletin of the cyclone warning and conveyed to all district officials, state disaster management authority and the chief secretary.

In the first bulletin, the information was clearly provided on the possibility of further intensification of the system into a cyclonic storm and associated adverse weather.

In the bulletin, there was a clear message for fishermen to not venture into the sea during next 48 hours.