More places will be connected to Vizag airport: Raju

The airport terminal building was considerably damaged in the cyclonic storm whose speed was recorded at about 180-190 kmph

A day after flight operations resumed from the cyclone-affected Vishakhapatnam airport, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today said that the coastal city in Andhra Pradesh would be connected with more places.

"Yesterday itself Hyderabad and Delhi were connected (from Vishakhapatnam). Today more areas are getting connected," Raju told reporters here.

Stating that flight operations had resumed in a record time of five days since the cyclone Hudhud struck, he said the extent of damage caused to the airport would be assessed.

The airport terminal building, designed to withstand wind speed of upto 150 kmph, was considerably damaged in the cyclonic storm whose speed was recorded at about 180-190 kmph.

Raju also said that he had met the agriculture minister to discuss about the damage caused to the farming sector due to the devastating cyclone and schemes available for rehabilitating and reviving the economic activities of farmers.

"Crops have been extensively damaged in the cyclone. This apart, coconut, cashew and coffee plantations have also been affected due to the cyclone," he said.