Modi visits cyclone-hit Tamil Nadu (Lead)
Kanyakumari Dec 19 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited coastal villages in Tamil Nadu that were devastated by Cyclone Ockhi. He will return to Kerala and meet affecting fishing communities there.
Modi flew to Lakshadweep on Tuesday morning where the cyclone destroyed property. He then flew to Kerala where Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan received him and took a helicopter to go to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
After receiving him with Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit Chief Minister K. Palaniswami submitted a memorandum to Modi listing out the state s needs for rehabilitation of the cyclone affected district.
Modi met representatives of fishermen from Kanyakumari.
According to officials the cyclone killed 18 people in Tamil Nadu while several others are still missing. Cyclone Ockhi struck the southern coasts on November 30.
Modi is expected to spend half hour in Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram meeting the families of the affected community. He would also interact with Vijayan before leaving for Delhi.
More than 70 fishermen from the southern districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam in Kerala died in the cyclone while more than 250 remain missing.
--IANS
vj-sg/in/mr/vd
