Cyclone Nilam Claims Four Lives So Far

Revenue Minister N Raghuveera Reddy on Friday confirmed the death of four persons in the state due to the cyclonic storm Nilam.

Talking to reporters after holding a review meeting with the officials at his chambers in the State Secretariat over the impact of cyclone Nilam, the minister said that one death each has been reported from Anantapur, Prakasam, East Godavari and Nellore districts. He said that one labourer from Orissa was also reported missing.

Raghuveera Reddy said that so far 35 houses in the coastal areas have been damaged due to heavy rains. Of them, 16 were permanently damaged. He said that heavy to very heavy rainfall was still continuing in Srikakulam, Viziaanagaram, Visakhapatnam, Khammam and Warangal districts.

As many as 4,824 people have been shifted to 13 relief camps set up across Prakasam district.

At least eight tanks have either been breached or damaged due to heavy rains and inflows. Crops spread across 76,980 hectares also got inundated. However, the minister said that the actual damage could be assessed only after water recedes in the affected areas. As many as 445 electric poles also got uprooted due to gales caused by Nilam.

Raghuveera Reddy said that the District Collectors have been instructed to take up relief measures in full swing. He said there was no shortage of funds for the relief works and that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy himself was monitoring the overall situation. (INN)