Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam:
Cyclone Hudhud, which left in its wake 11 deaths and a trail of devastation, has turned into a 'deep depression'. On Monday, five states - Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal - suffered heavy rains. The focus is now on damage assessment and relief operations.
Following are the latest developments:
Visakhapatnam, which was practically torn down by the 200kmph windspeed, has lost 80% of its green cover. Electricity and phone lines are down and there is a shortage of food and fuel.
The city's airport has been shut down for repairs. Its roof had blown off and the premises had been badly damaged in the cyclone.
The rural areas of Andhra Pradesh, including Srikakulam, suffered crop damages in a big way.
By Monday morning, the national highway to Vijayawada was open. But with railway tracks heavily damaged, rail services will take time to start.
The state government hoped to have the telecom system running by Monday night. So far, 125 BSNL towers are up and running, 150 are yet be restored.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday for an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected areas.
In Odisha, power supply was to be restored in the four worst-hit districts by this evening. The government says the main worry now is flooding due to constant rains.
The toll in the cyclone is now 11 - 8 in Andhra Pradesh and three in Odisha - a small number compared to the intensity of the cyclone. The timely evacuation averted heavier casualty.
What helped were frequent and accurate weather reports with the help of satellite data and modern radars.
Altogether, over 5 lakh people had been evacuated. But with many people losing their homes, the cyclone relief centres will continue to run for now.
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