NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, MAY 20
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday conducted an aerial survey of cyclone-hit areas in Amreli and Gir-Somnath districts and later said compensation will be given after assessment of damage caused to crops and property. The death toll has gone up to 79, sources said.
CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp visited villages of Jafrabad & Rajula talukas in Amreli district where he met the families of fishermen badly affected by the #CycloneTauktae and assured them of all possible assistance from the State Govt for restoration of boats and livelihood. pic.twitter.com/cRdk1o4pqZ
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 20, 2021
Rupani’s aerial survey came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a similar exercise to assess the devastation caused by cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat and adjoining Union territory of Diu. The Gujarat CM had accompanied Modi during Wednesday’s aerial survey.
On his way to the #CycloneTauktae affected villages of coastal talukas, CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp undertook an aerial survey of the destruction in the hinterland areas. pic.twitter.com/0mSIfzxxbK
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 20, 2021
After the aerial survey, Rupani visited Garal village under Una taluka of Gir-Somnath district and interacted with local residents.
CM Shri @vijayrupanibjp visited Garal village of severely affected Una taluka and showed his sensitivity towards woes and sorrows of the common man by standing among the local villagers in this difficult situation arised due to #CycloneTauktae pic.twitter.com/xvDZOobrUk
— CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) May 20, 2021
He assured the villagers that his government is working on a war footing to restore normalcy in the entire coastal belt, ravaged by the powerful storm that hit the state three days ago.
“Most of the kutcha houses in Una were destroyed. Standing crops as well as mango and coconut trees were also uprooted.
“A survey to assess the loss has been initiated from today and compensation will be announced accordingly,” Rupani told reporters after meeting villagers at Garal.
Cyclone Tauktae had made a landfall in Una taluka on Monday night with a wind speed of over 150 kilometers per hour.
As many as 79 people have lost their lives in incidents related to the cyclone, which triggered heavy rains, in different parts of Gujarat, officials said.
The storm caused large-scale damage to communication and electricity infrastructure and also roads.
“I have asked the administration to restore electricity, water supply and roads by Sunday. If needed, we will bring in more manpower to speed up the restoration work.
“My government is committed to restore normalcy in the coastal belt at the earliest,” said Rupani.
The CM held a review meeting with local officials in Gir-Somnath district and took stock of the damage and ongoing relief work.
He directed the officials to make use of generators to supply drinking water in areas where electricity has not been restored yet.
The CM also reviewed ongoing relief and restoration work in Amreli district.
He informed reporters in Amreli that vehicle-mounted power generator sets have been deployed at several places to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply in some of the affected villages.
Rupani said mobile tower operators have been asked to restore communication network in the affected areas.
Death toll goes up to 79
As many as 79 people have lost their lives in incidents related to cyclone Tauktae in different parts of Gujarat, officials said on Thursday as the authorities carried out restoration work in affected areas and launched damage assessment exercise.
Amreli in the Saurashtra region was the worst affected district with 45 deaths so far, said an official of the Amreli District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC).
As per Gir-Somnath DEOC, as many as 11 people have been killed in different cyclone related incidents in the district.
In Bhavnagar, nine persons have died, the district DEOC said.
Amreli, Gir-Somnath and Bhavnagar districts bore the maximum brunt of the powerful storm.
Cyclone Tautkae made a landfall on Monday night near Una town in Gir-Somnath district and wreaked havoc for around 28 hours in the state before it weakened into a depression.
As per figures of other districts shared by the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), five people were killed in Ahmedabad, two in Kheda and one each in Anand, Vadodara, Surat, Valsad, Rajkot, Navsari and Panchmahal districts.
The cyclonic storm had triggered heavy rains, uprooted electricity poles, trees and damaged houses and roads. It also caused large-scale damage to communication and electricity infrastructure.