NEW DELHI, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- The local government in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu announced a relief package of 140 million U.S. dollars for victims of cyclone Gaja in the coastal districts, officials said Tuesday.
Government officials said death toll in the cyclone rose to 46.
The decision was made by state's Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami after a three-hour-long meeting with his senior ministers and higher officials on Monday evening in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.
"The chief minister reviewed the situation with senior ministers and higher officials here last evening, and later announced that a relief package of INR 1,000 crore (140 million U.S. dollars) will be released for the ongoing relief efforts," a government spokesman in Chennai said.
"So far 46 people lost their lives in the cyclone, and their families would be given a compensation of INR 10 lakh (14,000 U.S. dollars) each. The chief minister also announced that monetary compensation would be given to those sheltered in camps and who have lost their houses, besides fishermen who could not go for fishing."
The severe cyclonic storm made landfall on Friday between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam, about 303 km south of Chennai, uprooting thousands of trees, electricity poles and damaging roofs of houses, thereby leaving behind a trail of destruction.
Gaja packed winds up to 120 km per hour. Officials said 11 coastal and interior districts of the state were battered due to cyclone Gaja.
Officials estimates said 250,000 people have been displaced due to cyclone and majority of them have taken refuge in over 351 relief camps.
Authorities have pressed in men and machinery to clear roads of fallen trees and electricity poles and restore the power and water supply.
Preliminary estimates say that 88,102 hectares of land having irrigated and horticultural crops have suffered huge damages due to the cyclone.
"For affected coconut groves, INR 192,500 (2,699 U.S. dollars) per hectare would be given as compensation, monetary support for fallen coconut trees and expenses for removing them, besides additional monetary assistance for replantation of coconut saplings hectare would be provided," the spokesman said. "Likewise farmers would be provided compensation for damaged paddy and other irrigated crops."
The government has also announced a monetary relief for people who lost livestock and fishermen whose boats were damaged.
According to the spokesman, the chief minister along with deputy O Panneerselvam began on Tuesday to distribute compensation among the affected people in Pudukkottai district.
Palaniswami told people his government would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek financial assistance from the federal government.
Meanwhile Palaniswami has also appealed to the public to generously contribute toward state's relief fund.
Gaja is the second major storm to hit India's east coast. Last month cyclone Titli battered Odisha state, killing 57 people. Estimates made by officials said the cyclone inflicted a loss of 300 million U.S. dollars in the affected parts of the state.
