Andhra Pradesh to set up disaster response force

Director-general of police and the director-general of fire and emergency services will together work out the formation of the force

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday said a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), on the line of NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) would be set up immediately to face natural disasters.

“The SDRF will initially have a strength of 1,000 force and will be trained in rescue and relief operations during any natural disasters, particularly cyclones and floods. The director-general of police and the director-general of fire and emergency services will together work out the formation of SDRF,” he said.

Announcing the decision after a review meeting in the aftermath of Phailin cyclone today, Reddy asked chief secretary PK Mohanty to direct district collectors and special teams stationed at various districts to continue their relief works till the water receded, weather was cleared and people returned safely to their homes.

“The state government would assess the damages occurred due to the cyclone and heavy rains, particularly in Srikakulam district, and provide relief to the farmers as per the norms,” the chief minister said, adding 10 kg of rice to each fisherman family -- estimated to be 422 tonne -- would be given to 42,279 fishermen families as they were not able to go for fishing.

According to T Radha, commissioner (disaster management), there has been only one death reported so far due to the cyclone and heavy rains. The severe cyclone storm over Odisha moved north-northwestwards during the past six hours with a speed of 20 kilometre per hour.

A total of 1,34,426 people from 294 villages in Srikakulam, Vizianagarm and Visakhapatnam districts have so far been evacuated. The state government has opened 125 relief camps to accommodate them.

The state government, in its latest bulletin released today, said there was a loss of 30 milch animals and three calves due to the cyclone, while 100 out of the 323 11-KV feeders have been rectified.

Meanwhile, situation came to normalcy at the private sector Gangavaram Port in Visakhapatnam and at the Kakinada port on Sunday. While cargo handling at Kakinada port was partially affected, Gangavaram port had cancelled all cargo handling operations from Saturday morning as the cyclone was expected to hit the coast.