Situation Report 1 - Cyclone Ockhi 2nd December 2017

A. Very Severe Cylone Storm - Ockhi

A depression developed to the west of on 28th Nov, intensified into deep depression and named cyclone Ockhi as it passed 170 km South/South East of , tip of Indian peninsula on Nov 30. The cyclone classified into Severe Cyclone category re-curved north- north-east in the Arabian sea impacting coastal districts of on December 1. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has already warned that “high waves” towering 3-4.9m would be seen 10 km off Kerala’s coast today. According to a joint bulletin issued by IMD and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) released yesterday, the severe cyclonic storm, centered over , is likely to further intensify in the next 12 hours. At least 10 locations on the islands would witness high waves ranging from 4.8-7.4m in the next 24 hours, along with “heavy to very heavy rainfall”, said the bulletin. It it also predicts that the system could re-curve north-north-east aiming at the West Coast of India, aligning it towards the – coasts after December 4 (Monday onwards).

It has been further reclassified into Very Severe Cyclone category as per the latest press release of IMD released at 12:00 noon today. For more details, please see, http://www.imd.gov.in/pages/press_release_view.php?ff=20171202_pr_164

Sources: Media, IMD Website, INCOIS, IAG TN

B. Impact

Tamil Nadu: • 6 people have reportedly lost lives in primarily due to trees uprooted by destructive winds. • 14 fishermen are still missing and Navy search and rescue operations are in progress. • Kanyakumari, and Tuticorin districts are worst affected in Tamil Nadu. • A Central Water Commission advisory yesterday said the west-flowing rivers in , Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Kottayam, Alapuzzha and Ernakulam were likely to rise over the next 24 hours and then slowly fall as the rains reduced. Seven people have been killed in the state. The advisory also said that the Amaravathi and Bhavani rivers and their tributaries in the Cauvery basin were also expected to receive sufficient flows, increasing the water levels in the Amaravathy, Moyar, Pilloor and Bhavanisagar dams in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode districts of Tamil Nadu. • The Somasila and Kandaleru projects in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh also likely to receive "significant inflows" due to the depression, may likely to affect the southern parts of the state from December 5 onwards. "There is a likelihood of a rapid rise in the water levels of the Suwarnamukhi and Kalingi rivers in Chittoor and Nellore districts," the commission said.

• Tamil Nadu's , one of the worst affected, still remains largely powerless. More than 4,000 power lines in the district have been damaged by the cyclone and officials said it may take close to a week for the entire power supply to be restored. • A few low lying areas there are still inundated. The worst affected is the low-lying area of Suchindram where water has entered the villages and evacuation process is on. Water has also entered the popular 17th century Thanumalayan Temple. • Palayar river’s flow is impacts some low lying areas in Oluginaseri area in Therur Panchayat of Thovalai Block, where around 5 villages are river is overflowing, surrounded / inundated by water. • The Hanuman river in Ppanagudi also overflew and some impacts were felt in the low- level areas of Hanuman river as reported by the person from the place. • More than a thousand people stranded in rescue centers / relief camps. • Schools have been closed. • Over 1,000 people evacuated from the low-lying areas of Kanyakumari are in the relief camps. 22 people are said to be missing. • 620 houses have been full damaged and around 240 are partly damaged. Kanniyakumari - Tirunelvelli highway has also been blocked due to tree fall. • Many shops have still not opened. most of the shops were closed on last Friday. • Argicultural crops have been affected over a diameter of more than 2 kms • Many trees estimated approx. 20,000 alongside the roads and fields have been uprooted, approx. 4,00,000 banana trees have been damaged and approx. 50,000 rubber trees have been damaged. Many coconut trees have also been damaged. • Approx. 3000 electricity poles have been uprooted • 16 relief camps started with 1044 people. some families are not wanting to move to relief camps and prefer to stay in their houses. • 62 houses fully damaged, 240 partially damaged as assessed so far.

Sources: IAG Tamil Nadu and Media

Kerala: • 7 people have reportedly lost lives in Tamil Nadu primarily due to trees uprooted by destructive winds. • In Kerala, 155 fishermen have been rescued so far. Another 150 fishermen managed to return on their own. Rescue operations are still on with coordinated efforts of Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard's. Many fishermen are still missing, tracking and combing search operations for fishermen boats in wild seas are in progress.

Lakshadweep: • In Lakshadweep, several houses suffered damage, coconut trees got uprooted and communication lines are disrupted. • Five fishing boats were damaged early today at island as water level rose due to heavy rains.

C. Humanitarian Response:

Government: • NDRF and state forces have been deployed for relief and rescue operations. • Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan says 393 people have been rescued across the state and families of those who died in rain-related deaths will be given Rs 10 lakh compensation. • PM spoke to Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami over phone last night and assured required assistance in view of Cyclone Ockhi. A press release by the TN government said the CM would soon seek central funds for the damage caused by the cyclone Ockhi in the southern parts of the state, with Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts being the worst hit. The CM apprised PM Modi of the various relief works going on in "full swing" in seven districts of the state. • To expedite relief works in the worst hit Kanyakumari, two teams of National Disaster Response Force and seven teams of state disaster response agency have been deputed.

Non-Government: • IAG Tamil Nadu is coordinating the response of IAG members and NGOs. The members of IAG Tamil Nadu are assessing the field situation in Tamil Nadu. • Kerala IAG is getting organized for assessment. ESAF is coordinating IAG efforts. • In Lakshadweep • Sphere India is working on collating information for next situation report and providing support to IAGs in the states.

Contacts

Tamil Nadu Mr. Joseph Sahayam Mobile: +91 98408 81268, Email: [email protected]

Kerala: Mr. Prashant B. Mobile: +91 93490 81666, Email: - [email protected]

Lakshadweep: Mr. Jose Puthuppally Mobile +91 9447870270, Email: [email protected]

National: Mr. Vikrant Mahajan Mobile: +91 98186 66331, Email – [email protected]