Visakhapatnam: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday announced Rs.1,000 crore as an interim relief for cyclone-hit Andhra Pradesh.
He 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.
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.
He said 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.
Naidu had earlier sought Rs.2,000 crore as interim assistance and also wanted Modi to declare it a national calamity.
Visakhapatnam remains without power, essential commodities
People in the cyclone-ravaged town of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh continue to live without electricity and communication facilities for the third day in the row since Sunday. The scarcity of drinking water, milk and other essential commodities have added to the woes of this port town.
Two days after the severe cyclonic storm Hudhud battered the coastline, the city of 18 lakh people remained in darkness and mostly deprived of potable water. Piped potable water supplies have run out, too. Motor pumps installed in homes and apartments aren’t running, with power supply yet to be restored.
The authorities haven’t been able to supply water in tankers either, the citizens complained. Cashing in on the situation are greedy retailers, selling 20 litre water bottles for Rs 300 each.
Women carrying children too are running around to buy milk, some of them standing in long queues. In some areas, half-litre packets of milk were sold at Rs 50 each, which is twice their actual price.
With roads connecting the city to neighbouring districts yet to be cleared, supplies of milk and other essential commodities still remain cut off.
Mobile phones remain dead here for the third day in a row, with telecom services yet to be restored. ATM machines aren’t working either.
Visakhapatnam, the largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh, still sports a war-ravaged look with streets blocked by uprooted trees, toppled electricity poles and communication towers, mangled wires, shattered pieces of glass and other kinds of debris.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are still working towards clearing the roads. Officials said power supply may be restored by Tuesday evening.
