Hyderabad: Leaving a trail of death and devastation, the cyclonic storm in Andhra Pradesh has claimed 45 lives, besides extensively damaging crop and houses in four districts, while the State Government has announced measures to provide relief to the affected families.

"The cyclonic storm, which crossed the coast at Machilipatnam in the early hours of Monday (Dec 15, 2003), has damaged the coastal regions of Krishna, Guntur East and West Godavari districts claiming 45 lives," Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu told reporters after a review meeting of the relief operations today (Dec 18, 2003).

The cyclone victims would be paid an ex-gratia of Rs one lakh each, while those who died in accidents would get Rs 50,000, he said, adding that a fresh credit plan would be drafted for the affected farmers.

Seeds would be provided to farmers at 90 per cent subsidy for those going in for fresh crops and compensation would be paid to farmers who lost their bounty in the cyclone.

Agricultural crops had been damaged in 2.3 lakh hectares of land and horticulture was affected in 2,207 hectares damaging paddy, black gram, green gram, groundnut, tobacco and maize crops, he said adding water cess will be withdrawn in affected areas.

About 4,403 houses were fully damaged and 13,000 partly damaged, for which compensation of Rs 1,500 and Rs 750 respectively would be paid, Naidu, who toured the affected areas yesterday, said.

Medical and health teams have been formed to chlorinate drinking water sources in affected areas and veterinary teams were supplying medicines and vaccines, he said.

PTI