Odisha to help Hudhud-hit Andhra

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Oct 12: After cyclone Hudhud spared Odisha on Sunday and hit neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday evening assured Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu that Odisha government would extent all possible help the cyclone-affected people in AP.Earlier, Odisha Special Relief Commissioner P.K.Mohapatra had told journalists here that Andhra Pradesh government wanted Odisha to contribute in restoration efforts by deploying skilled manpower and equipment and the State government immediately agreed to it.According to Mohapatra, Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary had sought tree-cutting machines, transformers, telephone towers, electrical generators and skilled manpower to handle these tasks.Mohapatra recalled how Andhra Pradesh government had assisted the super-cyclone affected people of Odisha in 1999.On the other hand, as coastal and southern districts of Odisha continued to experience heavy rainfall at frequent intervals till late on Sunday evening, the death toll death toll due to severe cyclonic storm Hudhud increased to three with a fresh death reported from Puri during the day.Two minors, including a girl, had drowned as a boat engaged in evacuating people from seaside Satabhaya gram panchayat in Kendrapara district capsized on Saturday.Though trees were uprooted at some places in Odisha due to the storm, the State government said that the cyclone caused little damage to its power infrastructure as power facilities were shut down ahead of cyclone.