Fani caused 64 deaths, destroyed over 1.4 lakh hectare crop area: Government

New Delhi: As many as 64 people had died and over 1.4 lakh hectare crop area affected due to cyclone Fani in Odisha, the Home Ministry said Tuesday. Cyclone Fani affected three states — Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

In Odisha, 64 lives were lost, 5.56 lakh houses and huts were damaged, 6,281 cattle were lost, 1,48,663 hectare of crop land affected and 6,416 boats and 8,828 nets were damaged, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai told Lok Sabha in a written reply. “In addition, infrastructure like roads, power, railway, telecommunications etc. were also damaged in Odisha,” he said.

There was no loss of human lives in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. A total of 222 houses/huts were damaged, 28 cattle were lost and 1,365 hectare crop area was damaged in Andhra Pradesh, he said.

In West Bengal, 29,260 houses/huts were damaged and 1.12 lakh hectare of crop area was affected due to the cyclone Fani, the minister said. To prevent loss of human lives, a record number of 15,57,170 persons in Odisha, 17,460 persons in Andhra Pradesh and 2,34,801 persons in West Bengal were evacuated to safer places, Rai said.

“There are institutional mechanisms at the national and state level for effective management of natural disasters. Though the primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the state governments, central government extends all possible logistics and financial supports to the states to supplement their efforts to meet the situation effectively,” he said.

The concerned state governments undertake assessment of damage and provide financial relief in the wake of natural disasters including cyclone, from the State Disaster Response Fund already placed at their disposal, Rai said.

In order to support the affected people of the states, central government has released in advance an assistance of Rs 1,086 crore  (Rs 340.875 crore to Odisha, Rs 200.25 crore to Andhra Pradesh, Rs 235.50 crore to West Bengal and Rs 309.375 crore to Tamil Nadu) from SDRF on April 29, the minister said.

In pursuance to the visit made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Odisha after the cyclone Fani, central government released additional Rs 1,000 crore to the state government on May 7, he said.

Odisha was severely affected by the cyclone and has submitted a memorandum seeking an assistance of Rs 5,227.68 crore, Rai said.

An inter-ministerial central team visited the affected areas of the state from June 20 to 22 again for an on-the-spot assessment of damages caused by the cyclone Fani.

Upon receipt of report from the team, further financial assistance under NDRF will be considered as per laid down procedure, the minister said.