In Pics: Cyclone Hudhud creates havoc in Andhra Pradesh & Orissa

New Delhi: Life was limping back to normalcy in Odisha's four worst hit tribal districts after Cyclone Hudhud moved to Chhattisgarh as Odisha government today said the storm damaged about 80,000 houses, power infrastructure and roads besides claiming three lives."There had been extensive damage to houses and energy infrastructure due to the cyclone. Restoration work is being carried out on war footing," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters here after taking stock of the situation.As the very severe cyclonic storm hit Visakhapatanam yesterday noon, the calamity had its impact on the southern region of Odisha close to Andhra Pradesh."Four districts -- Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada -- were badly hit by the cyclone while there is little impact on other southern districts like Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur," Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra said.According to preliminary reports, 25,000 kutchha houses were damaged in Koraput district, 15,000 houses in Gajapati, 7,000 in Rayagada and 1,000 houses in Malkagiri, the SRC said adding reports from other districts were awaited.Though three persons -- two children in Kendrapara district and a fisherman in Puri district -- died due to the cyclone, the state government said it was able to save lives of many people by undertaking timely evacuation of 2,47,829 people to safe shelters."Many evacuated people have left for their homes by this evening as the intensity of cyclone died down," deputy special relief commissioner Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said.As the wind speed was about 100 kmph when the cyclone passed Odisha, there has been substantial damage to electrical infrastructures, Energy Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said adding as many as 24 transformers, 75 KM long low tension wire and 600 electric poles were damaged."Within 12 hours, we have been able to provide power supply to the entire district and block headquarters towns. More than 60 per cent of the affected people have now got electricity supply. It would be fully restored within two days," Mohapatra said.Meanwhile, road and train connectivity have been restored.While Odisha State Road Transport Corporation has decided to ply buses in the affected districts from tomorrow, railways began train service till Palasa. East Coast Railway has, however, cancelled certain trains and diverted route of some Vishakhapatanam-bound trains.The state government also claimed that roads have been mostly cleared with the assistance of NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services teams, the SRC said adding repair of roads, culverts and other infrastructure were on war footing.Though there had been rise in the water level of some southern Odisha rivers including Bansadhara and Rushikulya, he ruled out possibility of any fresh flood due to rainfall caused by the cyclone. Mohapatra said the cyclone Hudhud crossed the state at about 11.00 PM yesterday to Chhattisgarh.Replying to a question, he said the state government would provide relief to the affected population according to the laid down norms.As per the chief minister's direction, 30 teams, each comprising seven members, of fire service personnel have been sent to Andhra Pradesh with machinery to clear roads and tree cutting, the SRC said.The picturesque port town of Visakhapatnam, a major industrial, educational and tourism hub in the east coast, is still reeling under the impact of havoc caused by the cyclonic storm Hudhud and is picking up pieces from a trail of destruction left behind by the calamity.Under the impact of Hudhud that made a landfall here yesterday, accompanied by gusty winds and heavy rains, the city looks like a war-ravaged zone with uprooted trees, knocked down cell towers, transformers, and telephone poles lying strewn at several places.Communication systems and electricity broke down in the city since Saturday night and people at many places are falling back on radio to know the updates about the cyclone.Hudhud did not spare Visakhapatnam airport either blowing away its roof in gales. Lights and boards in the facility are either knocked down on ground or swept away.“We were scared. We closed windows but the sound of winds itself was scary,” a woman resident said.The flood water has entered residential and apartment complexes at some places and it needs to be pumped out now.“Visakhapatnam is a place I like very much. But, it is painful to see the city this way today,” said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu who is camping in the city to oversee relief operations.The residents of the port city, who were confined to their homes, ventured out today with dry weather prevailing after Hudhud tapered off into a deep depression over south Chhattisgarh and its neighbourhood as per the IMD bulletin issued this morning.Long queues were witnessed at petrol pumps and citizens sought to buy essential food items like milk.The National Highway 5 (Kolkata-Chennai) was shut as a precautionary measure and uprooted trees and electric poles disrupted the flow of traffic in the city.With rescue workers, including NDRF personnel, clearing the way, traffic movement revived this afternoon.Naidu, who undertook an aerial survey of the city today and later held a review with officials, said he would stay put till confidence is instilled among citizens that they can get on with their normal routine.Cyclonic storm Hudhud, which hit the Andhra Pradesh coast Sunday, has claimed 21 lives in the state, officials said.The worst-hit Visakhapatnam district accounts for 15 deaths. Five people were killed in Vijayanagaram district and one person died in Srikakulam district.Prakala Prabhakar, advisor (communications) to the state government told reporters Monday evening that majority of deaths occurred due to falling of trees.The authorities had Sunday put the toll at 5.The Odisha government has extended a helping hand to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh," an official said here Monday.Andhra Pradesh had come to the help of Odisha during the 1999 super cyclone.Reciprocating the gesture by Andhra Pradesh 15 years ago, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik assured his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu of all help.Incidentally, Naidu was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1999 as well.Odisha Government stepped up relief and restoration activities as cyclone Hudhud passed to neighbouring Chhattisgarh today after claiming three lives, damaging about 50,000 thatched houses, electrical infrastructure and roads in four districts.“There have been extensive damage of houses and electrical infrastructure due to the cyclone which passed the state late last night,” Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters here after taking stock of the situation.With power infrastructures like electric poles, transformers have been badly damaged in Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts, restoration work is being done on a ‘war footing', Patnaik said, adding 90 percent of the work would be completed by this evening.He said a total of 2,33,271 people were evacuated to safe places and are now housed in 2,029 shelter homes. “The affected people may leave for their homes once the intensity of the cyclone decreases considerably though mild rain may occur at some places,” Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said.Of the eight identified cyclone-hit districts in the southern region, Mohapatra said four - Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada have been affected more.According to preliminary reports 25,000 kutchha houses were damaged in Koraput district, 15,000 houses in Gajapati, 7,000 in Rayagada and 1,000 houses in Malkangiri, the SRC said, adding reports from other districts were awaited.The casualties remained at three as the lives of many people were saved due to timely evacuation, he said. Though there was not much damage in Ganjam, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts, massive uprooting of trees was reported from Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Nabarangpur, he said.As the wind speed was about 100 kmph when Cyclone Hudhud passed Odisha, there has been substantial damage to electrical infrastructures, Energy Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said.