Restoration work has begun on a massive scale in cyclone-hit Andhra Pradesh. The government is according top priority to restore power supply with new poles installed and power cables being laid. About 200 officers and 1,000 workers from other states have also joined the restoration team.

The focus is on restoring power to the drinking water units and hospitals. Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited, Power Grid Corporation and AP Transco are working round-the-clock to restore power to the three districts of Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram as north coastal Andhra is under blackout for the last four days, in the aftermath of cyclone Hudhud.

So far, around 20 per cent of power supply restoration work has been completed in the city and around 12 per cent in districts. Supply of milk is being increased through special counters while a package of essentials is offered at subsidised rates to all the affected households.

Odisha Milk Federation (OMFED) has come forward to supply about one lakh litres of milk to the cyclone affected districts. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, camping in Visakhapatnam to put back the city on rails by personally monitoring relief works, visited yesterday neighbouring Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts which came under the influence of the cyclone. He said, the magnitude of the devastation caused by the cyclone was so massive that it was difficult to immediately estimate the loss.

After the completion of enumeration process by senior officers only the damage can be estimated. The Chief Minister said a blue book would be prepared on the way the devastation was overcome, which would be helpful in tackling similar situations in future.

On the other hand special software is being developed by the government to estimate the losses precisely. Meanwhile, the death toll in cyclone-related incidents in north coastal Andhra districts rose to 35.