India: The Prime Minister Modi visited Gujarat on 19 May, to survey the damage caused by the savaging Cyclone Tauktae. PM Modi landed at Bhavnagar from Delhi and was received by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani at the airport following which he proceeded for the aerial survey. His survey covered affected areas of Una (Gir – Somnath), Jafrabad (Amreli), Mahua (Bhavnagar) in Gujarat & Diu. Following which a meeting was held at Ahmedabad to review the relief and rehabilitation measures to be taken to restore Gujarat and Diu.
Financial assistance of Rs1,000 crore as immediate relief activities was allocated to the state administration. Subsequently, the Union Government will deploy an Inter-Ministerial Team to visit the state to assess the extent of damage in the State, based on which further assistance will be given. He also announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for next of kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 for those injured due to Cyclone Tauktae across India.
“Undertook an aerial survey over parts of Gujarat and Diu to assess the situation in the wake of Cyclone Tauktae. The Central Government is working closely with all the states affected by the cyclone,” PM Modi said in a tweet on Wednesday. He urged the cyclone hit states to submit their reports to the centre for immediate relief funds.
As per the rescue team documentation, 13 people have died in one of the worst cyclones faced by the State. Over 16,000 houses were damaged, more than 40,000 trees and over 70,000 electric poles uprooted, while 5,951 villages faced the wrath of the storm.