NEW DELHI: Cyclone Ockhi, predicted to pass over the Lakshwadeep islands and veer away from mainland India will now turn and head towards parts of coastal Maharashtra and South Gujarat, says the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

However, a senior scientist from the agency said it was unlikely to cause much havoc as there was not much moisture in the Arabian Sea for the weakening cyclone to draw on.

“Recurving cyclones are rare but barring some clouds and maybe light rain, I don’t think it will be like what is now seen in Kerala and Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Sunday said Cyclone Ockhi, which wreaked havoc in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep, cannot be declared a national calamity as there is no such scheme, but assured all necessary assistance to tackle the situation.

Speaking to reporters after attending a high-level meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at the Secretariat here, union minister Alphons Kannanthanam said the Centre had already given necessary relief funds to the state government.

“We have received a memorandum from the state government requesting to declare Cyclone Ockhi as a national calamity. But, there is no such scheme for the Centre to do the same,” he said.

Though the union tourism minister earlier backed the Kerala government’s contention that they had not received any prior warning about the cyclone, he later clarified that the central agencies had given necessary alerts on Nov.28 and 29 itself.

The death toll in Kerala due to the cyclone has gone up to nine. Two people from Ernakulam were drowned in a storm surge. Authorities are trying to identify four bodies recovered from the sea.

As many as 6007 persons were accommodated in 34 relief camps opened by the district administration in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Malappuram.

Lakshadweep MP P.P. Mohammed Faizal, MP said, “Hundreds of houses have been damaged as trees fell over them.”

“The India Reserve Battalion and the Marine Department are working round the clock to provide relief to the affected, but the Navy and the Coast Guard fell way short of our expectations and only carried out perfunctory search and rescue.

“It is unfortunate that the Coast Guard, which has a ship stationed in the area, couldn’t ensure their rescue. A naval ship on its way to the islands now has now launched its helicopter to locate them,” Faizal said.

Sources in the Navy said two ships, INS Sharda and INS Shardul, loaded with relief material were approaching the islands.

“Four ships of the Western Naval Command have also been diverted to augment the relief work in view of the gravity of the situation,” they said.

An officer, on condition on anonymity, said the rough seas had prevented the smaller Fast Interceptor Craft (FICs) stationed at Lakshadweep from undertaking any search and rescue. “The type of relief work needed is only getting clearer now,” he said.

Government sources in the island group said there were some 130 fishermen from Kerala and Tamil Nadu in safe shelters on four islands - Kalpeni, Kiltan, Chetlat and Agatti - and had received medical aid. There were reports of an unmanned dhow going adrift and another with eight crew members missing.

Tension prevailed in the coastal hamlets of Nagercoil and Kanyakumari over the fate of missing fishermen.

The Hindu