'Hudhud' death toll rises to 46

Cyclone Hudhud death toll rose to 46, after three more deaths were reported here on Monday, while it has been estimated that food grain production loss is to the tune of 22 lakh tonne.

The Andhra Pradesh state disaster management department said in a statement issued here on Monday that the highest number of 29 deaths have been reported from the worst-hit Visakhapatnam district.

Fifteen people were killed in Vizianagaram district and two people were killed in Srikakulam district. It has been reported that 42 people were injured in the severe cyclonic storm which devastated the three districts on October 12.

More than 1.35 lakh people were provided shelter in relief camps and about seven lakh people were offered food at the relief camps, the statement said.

Food grain production loss has been estimated at 22,14,000 tonne, while horticultural production loss has been estimated at another 6.89 lakh tonne, the statement said. Noting that the cyclone also caused massive losses to the road network, the statement said that 3176.7 km of panchayat roads and 648.73 km of municipal roads suffered damages.

Meanwhile, an Andhra Pradesh Energy Conservation Mission said in a release that power supply to about 24 lakh power consumers failed in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

Power supply has been restored to 15 lakh consumers, while the remaining nine lakh consumers would be given electricity supply by Deepavali, the release quoted AP State Energy Secretary Ajay Jain and Andhra Pradesh Transmission Corporation (AP Transco) CMD Vijayanand as having said on Monday.

- PTI