Chennai: Cyclone Vardah, which ravaged the Chennai coast on Monday, has caused widespread destruction estimated to cost around Rs 6,600 crore as vehicles, properties, agriculture sector, fisheries and other fields suffered “extensive and significant damage”, industry body Assocham said Tuesday.
The estimated damage of Rs 6,600 crore is just an initial figure and a clear picture of losses would emerge only after a couple of months. Assocham, the apex industry body of the country, also made a passionate appeal to the insurance industry to constitute special teams to expedite settlement of claims of people hit by the cyclone.
Cyclone Vardah, which had the strength of a hurricane, brought Chennai to a standstill on Monday and normalcy did not return to the metropolis even on Tuesday as mobile networks were erratic and power supply was not restored in a majority of areas.
The cyclone uprooted trees, overturned cars and caused extensive damage to buildings. “Besides it has also significantly hit the agricultural sector, destroying banana plantations, papaya groves, rice paddies and others thereby causing widespread destruction worth up to $1 billion,” D.S. Rawat, secretary general of Assocham, said.
Assocham also asked its members and industrialists to help thousands of people who have been evacuated following the devastation caused by tropical cyclone Vardah.
“Local fishery trade, poor supply of power and supplies due to logistics crunch in both urban and rural areas, extensive damage to crops due to incessant rains, loss of livestock, damage to private property, problems in ferrying passengers and transporting goods owing to cancellation of flights, trains and road blockades may significantly hit the region’s economy,” Mr Rawat said.
Mr Rawat also said industries should collect donations to provide vital supplies like food, clothing, beds, blankets and other essential relief items like tarpaulins, water purification equipment and medicines for people who have been evacuated and shifted to relief shelters.
The industry body also noted that the cyclone might have a short-term impact on the tourism industry of southern India, of which Tamil Nadu accounts for a good 10 per cent share.
