PM conducts aerial survey of cyclone-hit areas in Guj, holds review meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey of areas affected by cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat and adjoining Union Territory of Diu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday conducted an aerial survey of areas affected by cyclone Tauktae in Gujarat and adjoining Union Territory of Diu and held a meeting with top officials here later to review the situation.

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, state Chief Secretary Anil Mukim and Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Pankaj Kumar were among those who attended the meeting held at GUJSAIL Complex at Ahmedabad Airport, officials said.

The prime minister landed at Bhavnagar from Delhi around noon and boarded a helicopter for a survey of cyclone- affected areas in Gir-Somnath, Bhavnagar and Amreli districts of Gujarat along with Diu.

He was accompanied by chief minister Rupani.

"Undertook an aerial survey over parts of Gujarat and Diu to assess the situation in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae.

"Central Government is working closely with all the states affected by the cyclone," Modi tweeted afterwards.

The cyclone made landfall between Diu and Una town of Gir-Somnath district in Gujarat on Monday night.

As many as 45 persons lost their lives in cyclone- related incidents in the state as it left behind a trail of destruction along the coast, uprooting electric poles, trees and damaging thousands of houses and roads.

Tauktae triggered heavy rains in many parts from Saurashtra coast to North Gujarat with 46 talukas receiving over 100 mm of downpour, 12 of them recording 150 mm to 175 mm of rains.

The cyclone, categorised as an extremely severe cyclonic storm on Monday, has now weakened into a depression and lay centred over south Rajasthan and adjoining Gujarat region on Wednesday morning, the India Meteorological Department said.

Over 16,000 houses were damaged, more than 40,000 trees and over 70,000 electric poles uprooted, while 5,951 villages faced total power blackout due to the cyclonic storm in Gujarat, chief minister Rupani said.