Cyclone Hudhud victims clash for relief material in Vizag as government struggles to restore power, water supply

Fights broke out between groups of people trying to grab bags of vegetables, water pouches and rice packets on Tuesday morning near the Vizag district collectorate as relief arrived. People from Kotha Jalaripeta, Relliveedi and nearby areas are without power, water and food since Saturday evening.As water tankers, trucks carrying sambhar rice and vegetable biryani packets arrived, there was a mad scramble to grab them. Men, women and children fought to take their share as those who could, carted away a major share. In the absence of proper coordination and police to help distribute properly, fights broke out.

“People spent two days eating biscuits and chips. Stored water is already over so we cannot cook anything. There has been no power for three days. When these trucks arrived, anxious and angry people just raided them and took away whatever they could. Some people took away 10 packets while others got nothing,” said E Raju, an intermediate student of Kotha Jalaripeta.

At the King George Hospital, the backup generator finally gave up due to lack of diesel late on Monday night after running for more than 48 hours. Without diesel, the biggest government hospital in the region turned into an oven for patients as temperatures soared on Tuesday.

The neo-natal was worst affected with babies born prematurely and those needing to be on incubators being taken away by their parents with no other option as all equipment failed due to lack of power.

The Andhra Pradesh government is struggling to restore power supply and in spite of work going on on a war-footing it may take another 24 hours to restore power to hospitals, fuel outlets and finally to the residential areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to make an aerial survey at 1 pm. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is camping in the city to oversee relief.