Three days after Cyclone Hudhud struck the city, Visakhapatnam was on Wednesday limping back to normalcy.
As per reports, essential supplies and public transportation services have been restored in several areas. But, parts of the port city continue to remain in dark as electricity supply has yet to be restored there.
Also, long queues could be seen at petrol pumps as well as grocery stores.
The residents of Visakhapatnam have been reeling under a crisis as electricity and daily need items, like milk, were not available and communication network had virtually collapsed due to the devastation caused by the cyclone which made landfall in the city on Sunday.
The state government has taken up restoration of electricity supply on war footing.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is staying in Visakhapatnam to oversee relief operations, has issued directions to supply packages of food items like rice, dal, edible oil and vegetables to the displaced.
The state government also announced that vegetables would be made available at low prices after complaints that some traders were exploiting the situation by selling various items at exorbitant prices.
Reports had yesterday claimed that a bottle of water and milk were selling for over Rs 100.
Officials today said that as transportation to Visakhapatnam from other places has now resumed, vegetables and milk are now arriving in the city.
The state-run Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) said yesterday that bus services in the cyclone-hit districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts have been resumed.
The South Central Railway (SCR) also re-opened the rail route to Visakhapatnam yesterday after repairing the track breaches on the Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam section.
The cyclone, accompanied by gusty winds with a speed of about 180 kmph and heavy rains, left a trail of destruction behind in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts in coastal Andhra Pradesh.
Uprooted trees and electric poles had become a common sight in the cyclone-hit districts.
According to the state disaster management department, 25 people have been killed in various rain-related incidents till late Tuesday night.
Over 1.35 lakh people were provided shelter in relief camps and 6,85,000 people have been provided food.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Visakhapatnam, had announced an interim assistance of Rs. 1,000 crore to Andhra Pradesh to carry out immediate relief work.
