The death toll due to devastating cyclonic storm Hudhud in Andhra Pradesh climbed to 21 today with over 1.35 lakh people taking shelter in relief camps even as the port city of Visakhapatnam, worst hit in the calamity, is limping back to normalcy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Visakhapatnam and undertake an aerial survey of the affected areas tomorrow afternoon.
The death toll mounted to 21 with 16 more bodies found today.
"A total of 15 deaths were reported from Visakhapatnam district, five in Vizianagaram and one in Srikakulam," Special Commissioner in state Disaster Management Department K Hymavathi told PTI.
Advisor (Communications) to the state government, Parakala Prabhakar told reporters this evening that most of the deaths occurred due to fall of trees.
According to the disaster management department, over 1.35 lakh people are taking shelter in relief camps where over four lakh people are provided with food.
"Food packets and essential items are transported from Vijayawada and other places by air. The aircraft carrying the relief material had problems in landing in the morning, but it was sorted out," Prabhakar said.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is camping in Visakhapatnam to oversee relief operations, undertook an aerial survey of the city and reviewed the situation with officials and also visited fishing harbour in the city.
Naidu announced an ex-gratia of Rs five lakh each to next of the kin of the deceased and the provision of 25 kgs rice, one kg sugar and five litres of Kerosene.
The state government will provide five litres of kerosene, 50 kg rice, and one kg sugar for the fishermen and weavers whose work has been affected due to the calamity.
Meanwhile, the picturesque port city of Visakhapatnam, a major industrial, educational and tourism hub in the east coast, which lay battered yesterday is showing signs of returning to normalcy with workers removing debris lying strewn on streets.
