Hudhud: Enumeration of damages begins in cyclone-hit Vizag

Visakhapatnam: With essential services being largely restored in Visakhapatnam, battered by cyclone Hudhud recently, the exercise of assessing damages caused by the calamity has begun.

Visakhapatnam district Collector N Yuvraj said the process of enumeration of damages caused to agriculture has begun with the survey teams visiting the villages.

He told reporters that 108 teams will have to conduct the process of enumeration in 2.75 lakh survey numbers in affected areas, which is likely to end by October 28.

With the industrial sector suffering massive damages in the cyclone, a two-member Central team has already arrived in the city and is scheduled to visit the Vizag Steel Plant and other units to assess damages.

The district administration has submitted a memorandum to the committee.

The process of assessing of damage caused to houses is already underway and as per preliminary information 60,000 houses got damaged in the cyclone.

Noting that 13,000 personnel are involved in restoration of electricity supply, the Collector said that restoration works have been completed in 80 per cent of the city.

As per the government's decision, five litres of Kerosene is being distributed to people who have no power connections.

The distribution of essential commodities as per the package announced by the government would be completed by October 23 and the families who have no ration cards will be provided with the cards on a particular day by identifying them.

Regarding the removal of massive debris, the collector said that 5,000 workers from various municipalities in the city are continuously clearing the debris strewn on road side and dumping it in various school grounds.

The removed debris, useful for paper mills and bio-gas plants, would be disposed off by auctioning it as early as possible.

The uprooted trees and branches have been pushed to the road margins during the last few days and it is now being lifted by earth-movers and large number of medium-sized lorries to various places to make way for traffic.

Meanwhile, the candle light rally to instill confidence in cyclone-hit people, to be attended by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, would be organised tomorrow instead of October 23 as planned earlier.

Ramakrishna beach in the city is the venue for the event.