Cyclone Hudhud: Andhra Pradesh stays on alert and focuses on restoration, heavy rains expected

Hyderabad: A day after a very severe cyclonic storm Hudhud battered the Andhra coast with heavy rains leaving 6 persons dead, the state government is investing its energy and resources on restoration and relief works even as it remained on alert in view of heavy rainfall warning.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's Cabinet is expected to be in Visakhapatnam as the Government focuses on bringing life back to normal in the districts of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, which bore the brunt of the cyclonic fury.

Naidu said food packets will be sent from Guntur and Krishna district.

A view of a damaged house due to cyclone Hudhud at Konapapapeta village beach in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh (Photo: PTI)

Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana said chief minister Chandrababu Naidu will be landing at Visakhapatnam airport and will visit affected places by road if possible or else will do an aerial survey of the region.

Narayana said power restoration is biggest challenge as all electricity poles are damaged and they have asked Centre for to provide help.

“It will take 4-7 days for restoration of power and our focus is on removal of uprooted trees and clearing of roads,” said Narayana to Deccan Chronicle.

Read: Cyclone Hudhud razes Vizag: 6 people killed, several others injured in Andhra Pradesh

About 61 relief camps have been set up in Vizag and around 60,000 people are taking shelter in these relief camps.

According to the State's Revenue (Disaster Management) Department, five persons were killed in the incidents of wall and roof collapses and uprooting of trees in the region, which was pounded by rains and gale winds at speeds ranging to 200 kmph on Sunday.

Read: Vizag’s green cover destroyed by Hudhud

The deceased included one-year-old P Naga Manoj from the port city of Visakhapatnam.

Tidal waves hit the Vizag beach as Cyclone Hudhud reaches the port city of Visakhapatnam (Photo: PTI)

Railway line was badly damaged in Visakhapatnam, where the airport was also affected as heavy downpour and gusty winds downed hundreds of electric and telephone poles, trees and hoardings and blew away light-weight objects and vulnerable roof-tops.

Read: Cyclone Hudhud: Vizagites shudder as gales shake buildings

People queued up at shops and eateries to buy essential household items and food. Locals complained of scarcity of milk, which led to rise in price of milk.

IMD said cyclone Hudhud has lost speed and weakened since last night and now turned into a 'deep depression'.

Latest weather bulletin said Hudhud lay centred very close to south Chhattisgarh and adjoining southwest Odisha. It would move north-northwestwards and weaken gradually.

Read: Hudhud: Global space bodies to give satellite pics

Under the influence of the system, rainfall at most places with heavy (6.5 - 12.4 cm) to very heavy (12.5 - 24.4 cm) at a few places would occur over Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts of north Andhra Pradesh besides some districts of south Odisha during the next 24 hours.

(Photo: DC)

Heavy rain is expected in Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and parts of Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.

The government said that district officials, heads of departments and every government employee would be on field for relief, restoration and rehabilitation works.

Read: Hudhud spares districts

The Chief Minister has directed Hyderabad-headquartered National Remote Sensing Centre to use GIS, GPS and remote sensing technologies to spot the damage and put them on the satellite through geo-tagging. This would enable the government to have the data on damages on the map.

He added that photographs of crop loss, damaged roads, bridges, reservoirs, tanks and railway lines would be made available through satellite technology by Indian Space Research Organisation.

Destruction at Visakhapatnam airport (Photo: DC)

"The government was able to reduce loss of life due to the precautionary measures taken," Naidu said and directed officials to take up restoration work on a war-footing from today.

The state government has issued an order deputing senior officers to supervise rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures and coordinate with Commissioner (Disaster Management), NDMA and NDRF and other authorities.

Read: Hudhud: Modi calls up CM Chandrababu Naidu, assures aid

The government said 2,48,004 people in 320 villages of 44 mandals (blocks) have been affected by the cyclone. As many as 1,35,262 persons have been evacuated and accommodated in 223 relief camps.

As per initial estimates, 70 houses were damaged and loss of animals was put at 34. Officials reported huge damages to railway and power sector in Visakhapatnam.