Cyclone Hudhud: Modi conducts aerial survey, announces Rs 1,000 crores for Andhra Pradesh
Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in cyclone-hit Visakhapatnam on Tuesday afternoon to take review damage, rescue and relief operations in the city.
Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Civil Aviation Minister P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, BJP MP from Visakhapatnam K Haribabu and state ministers welcomed Modi at the airport, which itself was damaged by the storm.
Modi started his tour by taking stock of situation at the Vizag airport, which was completely damaged after the cyclone.
PM conducted an aerial survey of the affected places in the city and announced Rs 1000 crores of interim relief for Andhra Pradesh.
#HudHud : PM Narendra Modi conducts aerial survey of cyclone affected areas in Andhra Pradesh pic.twitter.com/Y499fJtazW
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 14, 2014#HudHud: PM Narendra Modi conducts aerial survey of cyclone affected areas in Andhra Pradesh pic.twitter.com/UjuIqSbqiV
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 14, 2014Modi also held a review meeting with Naidu, other leaders and officials and announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the family members of the deceased.
Modi further said that teams will be formed by the Centre and those teams will visit cyclone-hit areas and submit report on damage incurred by each sector. Allotment of funds will be done based on these reports.
Vizag: PM Modi chairs high level meeting to take stock of situation in AP after the cyclone #HudHud hit the state pic.twitter.com/7Xsy6BTKMv
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 14, 2014“On my US trip, I said that Vizag will be developed as a smart city but unfortunately the city has incurred huge losses. We stand with Andhra Pradesh government in this hour of crisis,” said Modi.
He added that coordination between the Centre and the state government has helped in tackling with the calamity.
“Cooperation from locals helped reduce casualties as people stayed indoors. Even, IMD has successfully traced the movement of cyclone and technology was useful in tackling with the crisis,” added Modi.
Meanwhile, Vizag Port Trust officials said they have incurred losses worth Rs 200 crores and it will take at least a week to restore flights activities.
Damages aftermath of the Hudhud Cyclone in Visakhapatnam (Photo: PTI)
Devastating Cyclone Hudhud caused damage worth thousands of crores in the port city and other storm-hit areas of the coast, Naidu said on Tuesday.
Eastern Power Distribution Company of Andhra Pradesh Limited alone is estimated to have suffered a loss of Rs 40,000 crore, which includes damage to substations, high-tension transmission lines, poles and disruption in distribution network.
Read: Cyclone Hudhud: Vizag gasps for help, death toll reaches 24
About 16,000 electric poles were knocked down by cyclone fury that also left around 6,000 transformers damaged.
Damages to Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (Vizag steel plant) were estimated at Rs 1,000 crore, Indian Navy Rs 2,000 crore, Andhra University Rs 300 crore and Vizag airport Rs 500 crore, Naidu said.
"It's a huge loss. It's a loss that we could not expect. I will explain to Prime Minister today. It is not an ordinary loss. Roughly, Navy suffered about Rs 2,000 crores. I am thinking whether we can give a representation to PM or not. Because, if I give a low estimate then you may say that a low estimate is given," Naidu, who is camping here to oversee relief operations, told reporters.
"Everyday Rs 30 crores to Rs 40 crores turnover is lost (by Vizag steel plant). It may take 10 days to rectify. Airport suffered about Rs 500 crores loss. The road networks suffered about Rs 800 crores of losses," he said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu visiting the Hudhud cyclone affected people in Visakhapatnam (Photo: PTI)
The water supply in Visakhapatnam would be restored by this evening, the chief minister said.
"We are procuring tankers from East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts. By evening, all would be able to take bath," he said.
Read: Cyclone Hudhud: Long queues, high prices
"Some people are selling essential items at high prices. It is not fair to try to exploit the situation. We have taken a decision to provide packages of food items in all cyclone-hit areas," he said.
The package comprises rice, kerosene, sugar, dal, potato, onion, palm oil and chilly powder, among others.
He said vegetables would be supplied at very low rates so that their prices come down in the open market.
Damages aftermath of the Hudhud Cyclone in Visakhapatnam (Photo: PTI)
Naidu said he has given clear directions that uprooted trees and other debris should be cleared by Wednesday morning.
Cellular operators have not risen to the occasion, he said, while asking them to restore their services as early as possible.
Read: Hudhud left people powerless, thirsty
According to the state government, about 2.5 lakh people in 320 villages of 44 mandals (blocks) in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari are affected by the cyclonic devastation.
More than 1.35 lakh people have been rehabilitated at 223 medical teams equipped relief camps, where 5.62 lakh persons are being provided food.
As many as 6,836 houses have been damaged, while the number of boats missing or damaged has been put at 181.
Watch: Cyclone Hudhud
