Tamil Nadu chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to declare last weekend’s ‘Cyclone Ockhi’, which hit the coast of Kanniyakumari Distrit, as a ‘national calamity’ and provide funds for relief and rehabilitation befitting a national calamity.

Cyclone Ockhi hit Kanniyakumari District hard, causing widespread heavy rains, flooding, uprooting trees and taking away thousands of fishermen who were fishing deep-sea to coasts in other States such as Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat along the Arabian Sea.

In his letter addressed to Prime Miniseer Narendra Modi, the chief-minister said “Cylcone Ockhi which hit the Tamil Nadu coast on 29th December caused heavy damage in Kanniyakumari District, causing trouble to the entire fishing community. Electrical transformers and sub-stations have been totally destroyed by the cyclone which also disrupted vehicular traffic at many places.

“Farmers have also been affected with agricultural and horticultural crops facing heavy destruction. We require huge funds to rehabilitate people. I request that the cyclone be declared as ‘national calamity’ and funds befitting a national calamity be provided on emergency basis to the State to undertake rehabilitation measure on a war-footing,” the chief-minister’s letter said.