Three bodies were recovered today off the Kerala coast, taking the death toll due to Cyclone Ockhi to 36, even as defence sources said search and rescue operations will be extended to International waters around Maldives.

This followed a request from some fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district.

They requested the Southern Air Command here to extend the search operations to international waters to trace72 boats with 1,200 fishermen who may have drifted to international waters due to the cyclone.

The state government approached the Centre with the request of the fishermen following which the defence ministry has approved sending of C-130J Hercules transport aircraft around Maldives by tomorrow morning, the sources said.

The fishermen missing hail from Vallivilai, Thuthoor, Neeroodi, Puthanthurai, Poothurai and Marthandamthurai in Tamil Nadu.

Hundreds of fisher folk staged a rail roko at Kuzhithurai station bordering Kerala, leading to Southern Railways cancelling two trains -- Tiruchirapalli-Trivandrum Intercity and Kochuveli-Nagercoil passenger, besides partially cancelling five other trains.

96 fishermen are still missing from Kerala following the cyclone causing havoc to the state's coastal region, according to official estimates.  -- PTI