52 killed, 91 missing in Kerala after Cyclone Ockhi

Thiruvananthapuram, March 19 (IANS) At least 52 people were killed and 91 remain missing after Cyclone Ockhi struck Kerala’s southern districts on November 30 last year, the state assembly was told on Monday.

Giving the toll in response to a questiuon, state Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty also said that the process of giving compensation to the families of the missing was underway and it would be done once the formalities are over.

The Kerala government had, in January, announced that while the compensation to the families of the dead would be given Rs 2 million each and the same amount would be given to the families of the fishermen who have gone missing, but only after verification.

It had then started giving a monthly allowance of Rs 10,000 each to the families of the missing fishermen.

The worst-affected place, on account of Ockhi, were two fishing villages located near the Thiruvananthapuram international airport.