Fishermen making efforts to salvage a submerged fishing boat due the impact of Hudhud cyclone in Visakhapatnam on Monday. Photo: K.R. Deepak, The Hindu
Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here Tuesday afternoon to cyclone-hit north coastal Andhra, and announced an interim relief of Rs. 1000 crore to the state for the devastation caused by Cyclone Hudhud in Vishakapatnam and other coastal areas.
“The Centre is fully with the people of Andhra pradesh. Both governments are working hand in hand,” Modi told reporters at Vishakapatnam.
Modi made the announcement after visiting parts of the worst-affected port city and a review meeting with chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and top officials.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had already written to Modi to declare Hudhud a national calamity and provide Rs.2,000 crore as interim relief. He expressed concern that the cyclone caused huge losses at a time when he was planning to develop Visakhapatnam into a smart city. He, however, exuded confidence that the central and state government will work together to overcome the challenge.
The Prime Minister said that the Central government officials from various ministries would soon tour the region to assess damage and start work to restore normalcy, Modi told reporters. He said restoring the basic needs of life like water and electricity were the government’s immediate priorities.
Modi, who made an aerial survey of the affected areas of both north coastal Andhra and Odisha, also declared Rs. 2 lakh from Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for families of each of those killed and Rs. 50,000 to every injured.
The local bodies, he said, also rose up to the task.”It is important to note that a crisis of any magnitude can be overcome if the state and Centre work should-to-shoulder,” he said.
Karnataka to help AP restore power supply
The State government has agreed to provide manpower support to Andhra Pradesh to restore electricity supply in its cyclone-hit areas.
About 2,000 workers of the Karnataka Energy Department will head to Andhra Pradesh to help restore power in 5,000 villages over the next 10 days.
Reportedly the AP CM informed Mr. Siddaramaiah of the magnitude of destruction the cyclone had caused to electric poles and transformers and sought assistance in restoring them. Mr. Siddaramaiah responded immediately and agreed to send engineers and technical staff from Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. and other power supply companies to assist in restoration work, an official note said.