Situation in north coastal districts still grim

Situation in north coastal districts still grim
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Highlights

Situation in cyclone-affected Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts still remains grim despite efforts to restore at least semblance normality.

  • Visakhapatnam is still without power, water
  • People seen standing in long queues to buy essential commodities
  • Conditions in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam are appalling
  • Diesel shortage hampers relief work in districts

Visakhapatnam: Situation in cyclone-affected Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts still remains grim despite efforts to restore at least semblance normality.
Cyclone victims jostling for food packets at the Coastal Battery down area in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday
People are forced to stand in long queues to buy milk, vegetables and even for snacks for breakfast. The citizens are still deprived of safe drinking water even three days after the Hudhud cyclone devastated this port city. The port city went without power on Wednesday also.

Apart from colossal damage to industry, crops were almost obliterated. People are still waiting for aid to get back on their feet.

Over 300 families of the fishing village are without drinking water and adequate food supply. What is left in the fishermen colony is contaminated water and damaged homes.

Srikakulam ravaged
The situation in Srikakulm district too still remains precarious though water level in Nagavali River receded. The brimming river caused tension among the citizens for the last two days as it flowed above the old bridge level. Vamsadhara River, which was in spate, also inundated crops in Narasannapeta, Polaki and other areas. The government estimated paddy crop damage in 60,000 hectares out of the 2.04 lakh hectares in the district. Other crops cotton, groundnut, sugarcane, maize were also damaged. Meanwhile, the State government is trying to restore power in Srikakulam district by urging Odisha to supply power as there is little chance to get electricity from the AP grid owing to the snapping of transmission lines between Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam. Senior IAS official and Special Officer K S Jawahar Reddy said the immediate task was to restore power since people were forced to live in darkness for the last four days.

Electricity shortage has a cascading affect on everything. The municipal authorities failed to supply water.


Communication network still remain broken down as both the BSNL and other private operators needed electricity to operate its towers and equipment. The diesel shortage is hampering the relief and rescue operations.

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