Relief work in cyclone-hit areas of Andhra Pradesh continued at a brisk pace amid expectations that essential services would be restored in a major way by Saturday evening. It has been six days after Hudhud struck the coastal belt resulting in loss of 38 lives and large-scale destruction. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the entire administration has been working hard to bring back normalcy in the affected areas. Most of the localities in the port city, which bore the brunt of the cyclone fury on Sunday, were receiving power and drinking water supplies, he said. Naidu expressed hope that by Saturday evening 80 per cent of the power restoration work would be completed, while 90 to 100 per cent of power supply and 90 per cent of communication services would be normal in the city areas. Energy department officials said efforts are being made to draw power from Odisha to tide over the crisis in the affected districts, where supply has been drastically disrupted. As many as 1,000 people are working in Visakhapatnam rural and urban areas to restore power supply, 1,500 in Vizianagaram while others are deployed in Srikakulam for restoration work. Power supply work in Srikakulam is almost completed and all the 33/11 kv substations have been rectified. Forty-three people have been injured in the cyclone havoc in 320 villages of the cyclone-hit districts while nearly 2.5 lakh people have been affected. Authorities have counted 11,318 damaged houses. More than 1.35 lakh people are taking shelter in 223 relief camps, where food is being provided to 6.85 lakh persons. Many community properties and public infrastructure belonging to various government departments were also severely damaged in the cyclonic storm. In order to enumerate the losses to individuals and damages to infrastructure in an "accurate, timely, transparent and comprehensive manner" and to prevent possible mistakes, a portal has been developed by the Information Technology Department having detailed formats, senior government officials said. "I don't want to appreciate the work done by various departments (in rescue and relief operations) now. I will appreciate each and every one involved in the rescue and relief operations only after the city returns to normalcy," the Chief Minister told reporters here. "The (Visakhapatnam) city people are very cooperative, they are supporting administration in the rescue operation in full swing. The city people are voluntarily coming and doing the job though they are in distress. I appreciate them a lot," Naidu said. He said he already had a discussion with representatives of insurance companies and asked them to clear the claims without any hurdles. The Chief Minister said small scale industries suffered much damage and the relief work was in progress on war-footing. Meanwhile, AP's Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana said drinking water supply will be restored in all 72 wards of Visakhapatnam city by this evening. Water supply is already normal in 50 wards, he said. Power failure at pumping and filtration points affected water supply in the city, in the aftermath of Cyclone Hudhud which hit the state's north coast on Sunday. Pipeline breaches at some places and at Raiwada canal, that supplies about 16 million gallons per day to the city, also delayed the restoration process. Generators have been installed at 30 places to pump water, the Minister said. As for restoration of water supply to industries, Narayana said it would take one or two days.
