Hudhud Losses Rs 21,908 Crores: AP Deputy CM

The Andhra Pradesh Government has estimated the total losses incurred due to the Hudhud cyclone that hit the Visakhapatnam coast on October 12, at Rs 21,908 crores.

Making a statement in the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Nimmakayala Chinna Rajappa said in all, 89 lakh people spread over 7,285 villages in 138 mandals in four districts were affected by the cyclone.

As many as 2,22,460 people were evacuated, which minimised the total impact on humans to 61 deaths and 102 persons injuries.

He said that 2.38 lakh hectares of agricultural area was affected, resulting in agricultural crop loss of Rs 947.90 crores. The impact of the cyclone was even more severe in case of horticultural crops where 87,984.75 hectares of produce was damaged resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 1,339.22 crores.

The Deputy CM made this statement in reply to the notice under Rule 344 given by MLA Kala Venkatarao. Chinna Rajappa informed that Hudhud was the 77th cyclone since 1891 to have crossed coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Hudhud had hit the State and crossed over the Visakhapatnam coast with a wind speed of around 220 kmph, and resulted in rainfall above 57 cms and unprecedented loss to public and private properties in Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts.

Chinarajappa said a sum of Rs 9,856 crores was required for rescue, relief and temporary restoration. He informed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced Rs 1,000 crores as an advance for providing immediate relief to the affected areas, and that the Central Government had released a sum of Rs 400 crores as advance, pending report of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team, and its consideration thereof by a High Level Committee (HCL) headed by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and the Committee's recommendations.

The Inter Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) visited the affected areas during November 25th to 28th for an on-the-spot assessment of the damages caused by the cyclone.

An aggregate amount of Rs 844.60 crores has so far been released by the State Government, which includes Rs 790.25 crores from the SDRF and Rs 54.35 crores via drawals by the District Collectors concerned, said the Deputy Chief Minister. (INN)