Cyclone Tauktae: Efforts on to alert Tamil Nadu fishermen

KANYAKUMARI: The fisheries department is making efforts to alert nearly 2,500 deep sea fishermen from Kanyakumari, who are out in the Arabia Sea, about a depression which may intensify into Cyclone Tauktae. “We are trying to reach them through Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC),” state commissioner of fisheries J Jayakanthan told TOI.
According to the IMD, the depression is likely to intensify into a cyclone about 100 nautical miles (185 kms) off the northern Kerala coast and move northward till Karachi in Pakistan. “Since it covers the fishing grounds of Tamil Nadu fishermen we are trying to warn them,” he said. Since the annual fishing ban is in effect on the east coast, only vessels from the western coast of Kanyakumari have gone fishing. Fisheries department officials said only 84 boats at sea had gone from Thengapattanam fishing harbour, but another 150 from Kanyakumari had set off from Kerala.
The department has started contacting the boats, which move in clusters, through satellite phones provided to them by the government, the coordination centres operated by fishermen in the coastal villages and through local churches. Jayakanthan said they have been advised to reach the nearest shore and various coastal states have been urged to accommodate the fishermen. ICG has been requested to warn the fishermen from their ships.