Cyclonic storm lashes Kerala: 50 missing

Fifty fishermen from the districts of Elathur and Kozhikode who had gone to sea in fibre-glass and wooden row boats have not come back, said an official from the Kerala fisheries ministry.

"The Indian navy is carrying out rescue and search missions but are facing great difficulties because of weather conditions," said Gopinath Panangad, special secretary to the state fisheries minister.

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"Nearly 300 huts belonging to villagers have been flattened in the cyclone and left some 2,000 people homeless. We have evacuated 200 families, mostly fisher folk, from the coastal areas," he added.