Cyclone Tauktae: Fishermen in Palghar narrate how they survived, rue widespread damage to boats

Owners of the boat, Bhola Shankar in Advan village. Pics/Hanif Patel

Barely a month ago, Suresh Panduli, 48, and his partner, Laxman Khikuti, 50, from Arnala had bought a second-hand fishing boat for Rs 6.10 lakh and spent Rs 32 lakh repairing it. On Monday, the vessel was destroyed by Cyclone Tauktae. The duo is among the many fishermen who lost their vessels in the cyclone. While the government has pegged losses at over Rs 78 lakh, fishermen say the amount is much higher.

Their boat Bhola Shankar had been anchored at Arnala beach. Around 4.30 pm, the boat's anchor rope snapped and it started drifting haphazardly. "We thought we would be able to sail it out of the rough sea. I started the engine but soon I lost control over its steering," Panduli said.]

A propellor from Francis Dedu's boat, Moshe; (right) Suresh Panduli and Laxman Khikuti

When the duo realised that the boat cannot be saved, they jumped into the sea. "We tied ropes around our waists with their ends connected to two buoys and jumped into the sea around 4.45 pm leaving our boat to sink. We both were also connected by a rope and would often pull each other if we drifted apart," said Panduli.

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The duo swam for over four hours and reached Advan village. Around 9 pm, they reached Usnani village where the locals gave them first aid and helped them contact their families.

Bhola Shankar, on the other hand, is lying damaged in Advan village.

Moshe after the cyclone

"We have lost everything. Nothing is saved. We have incurred a loss of Rs 45 lakh. We were already incurring losses due to the lockdown and this cyclone has ruined us completely," said Panduli.

Only livelihood lost

Another fisherman, Francis Dedu, was cleaning the wreckage of his fishing boat Moshe at his Arnala residence on Friday. "I purchased it second-hand three years ago from Madh island for Rs 35 lakh and spent on repair work," said Dedu.

His relative, Rebecca Dedu, said, "Fishing is our only livelihood. We were already hit by the lockdown and now our livelihood is completely destroyed in the cyclone." "The families of 16 people who worked on the fishing boat have no means to earn an income," she added.

Moshe was found damaged near Datiware Kore village.

Boat Bhola Shankar before the cyclone

The Assistant Commissioner of Fisheries department for Thane and Palghar districts, Anand Palav, said, "We are in the process of counting damaged boats. So far, 17 fishing boats have been completely damaged and three have been partially damaged across Palghar district."

Palav said that the losses could rise as panchnamas are being conducted.

"There are 46 landing points in Palghar district where our officials are visiting to conduct panchnamas of damaged fishing boats," Palav told mid-day.

Fisherman Francis Dedu shows a picture of his boat Moshe before the cyclone

Chairperson of The Arnala Fisherman's Sarvoday Sahakari Society Ltd, Vijay Thatu, said, "Six fishing boats from Arnala have been damaged. The four boats including Easter, Moshe, Natal Mauli and Jesus were registered with our society, the other two, Dattatrey (Digambar) and Mount Merry (Bhole Shankar) are registered with another society," said Thatu.

"The total loss to our society members is Rs 1.20 crore," he added.

Local school for fishermen's kids damaged, too; losses amount to Rs 20 lakh

The school in Arnala where children of fishermen study, too, was damaged during Cyclone Tauktae. Father of St Peter Church Marathi Primary school, Dr. Michael Rosario, said, "The cyclone has badly damaged the school where children of poor fishermen study. We have always helped the government in times of need by letting them use our school premises. But no one has conducted a panchnama here yet."

The school's roof flew away in the cyclone and classrooms have been damaged. Pic/Hanif Patel

"A large company of SRPF stayed in our school for four months from September to December 2020 because there was no accommodation for them. The electricity bill came up to Rs 47,000, but they did not bother to pay," Dr. Rosario said. "Today when my school is damaged, no government official has visited despite writing a letter to the gram panchayat to conduct a panchnama," he added. The asbestos roof of the school was blown off in the cyclone. The strong winds also twisted the blades of ceiling fans and the computer room was destroyed.

"The total loss is not less than Rs 20 lakh. How will I get the funds? This is a school that serves poor children," Dr. Rosario said.