47 dead due to cyclone Ockhi in Kerala, 188 missing: Police

The Kerala police department on Monday released a final official list of the fishermen who died during cyclone Ockhi and those who are still reported missing.

According to the new list released by the officials, 47 people have died and 188 are reported missing as on January 22, reports TOI.

The officials also confirmed that the new list was made on the basis of the cases known to the officials, the cases that were registered in the police stations and where FIRs were registered.

Financial aid and compensation to the affected families will be decided based on this list.

The officials said, "The list of those who are missing will be maintained for another month for further updates to see if any of them have returned. After this period, it will be presumed that they are not alive and their families will be eligible for financial aid”, the report states.

The report also added that among the 188 who are missing, 108 are from Kerala. 

Similarly among the 47 fishermen who lost their lives due to Ockhi, 40 died at sea while six fishermen lost their lives on land. A body in Ernakulam is yet to be identified.

Though the police list matches with the list put out by the fisheries department, the official list has failed to match the one from the Church.

Shaji George, a spokesperson, of Kerala Region Latin Catholic Council, said that 113 people are missing from Kerala along with another 122 from Tamil Nadu. 

Though both the lists concur that there have been 47 deaths, the Church claims that 13 bodies are still left unidentified.