Around eight ICG ships and two Dornier aircraft were pressed into action since November 9 onwards for the issuance of advisories and warnings in local languages to fishermen at sea for their safe return to ports
Indian Coast Guard has deployed a large ship with a helicopter from Vishakapatnam with relief items and three ships from Chennai to carry out search and rescue operations in southern Tamil Nadu in the wake of the cyclone Gaja hitting the state coast.
A release issued by the Coast Guard (ICG) said that one large ICG ship with a helicopter sailed from Vishakapatnam with relief items such as potable drinking water, essential medicines, packaged food and life-saving material to southern Tamil Nadu coast anticipating the acute need of relief material and essential items post-impact of cyclone in southern Tamil Nadu areas of Mandapam in Rameshwaram and Karaikal.
Besides, three coast guard ships were also sailed from Chennai for Mandapam on 15 Nov 18 for augmenting search and rescue and post-cyclone relief operations.
In an effort to prevent life loss of fishermen in the sea owing to cyclone Gaja, the Coast Guard has launched large-scale pre-emptive and proactive measures by deploying eight ships and two Dornier aircraft since November 9 to warn fishermen to return to ports.
"Lessons from Cyclone Ockhi and success in preventing loss of lives during recent Cyclones Luban and Titli were put into practice by the Indian Coast Guard. Around eight ICG ships and two Dornier aircraft were pressed into action since November 9 onwards for the issuance of advisories and warnings in local languages to fishermen at sea for their safe return to ports," it said.
It said that merchant vessels transiting at deep seas were requested through International Safety Net by Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (Chennai) to alert fishermen at deep seas for early return and shelter at nearest ports. "Indian Coast Guard has kept Coast Guard response teams at short notice at Chennai, Mandapam, Karaikal and Puducherry for immediate response. The Indian Coast Guard is closely coordinating with state fisheries authorities, port authorities and civil administration for reducing the impact of the impending cyclone," it said, adding that it has requested fisheries authorities at Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to account for all fishing boats.
Apart from warning the fishermen in the mid-sea, the coast guard conducted series of community interaction programmes at Kanyakumari, Mandapam, Rameshwaram, Cuddalore, Chennai, Nellore, Nizamapatnam, Uppada and Vishakapatnam to sensitise fishermen and coastal population for taking safety measures for the impending cyclone.
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