Cyclonic Fani: Housing and Urban Department estimates Rs 525 cr infrastructure damage

The Housing and Urban Development department on Tuesday said that Cyclone Fani that hit the Odisha coast on May 3 damaged Rs 525 crore worth of assets.

"53 urban local bodies severely affected. 291 km of drains, 750 km of roads, 267 culverts have been damaged. Other infrastructures like parks, playgrounds, community centers, town halls and others have been badly affected," said G Mathivathanan, Principal Secretary, Housing and Urban Development while addressing a press conference here.

"Water supply badly affected in 20 towns. The central kitchen of Ahar Yojana and 27 centers in these urban local bodies damaged. Over 21000 street lights affected. All together about Rs 525 crore is the assessed damage to these urban local bodies," he added.

The death toll in Odisha due to cyclone Fani has touched 64 with Puri recording the maximum number of casualties at 39 according to official estimates released by the Odisha government on Saturday.

According to government data, livestock casualties are over 34 lakhs and over one crore sixty-five lakh people were adversely affected by 'Fani' in the state.