KOCHI: The Central team for assessing rain calamities in the state began its visit on Thursday. The state suffered a total loss of `2,420.394 crore owing to rain, according to a report submitted by the state government before the Central team.In the first phase of its visit to the state, the Central team visited the Rameswaram Colony in Kochi. The six-member delegation led by Union Government Joint Secretary R P Nath will visit various regions across the state splitting into three teams.The delegation, which reached Kochi on Thursday, held a meeting at Ernakulam Guest House to review the report regarding the damage suffered by the state in the calamity.Additional Chief Secretary Niveditha P Haran explained about the calamities suffered by the state owing to the monsoon. A video presentation was also made. Sundaramoorthy, superintending engineer, Union Government, road transport regional officer M G Jayachandran, Planning Commission director S P Sarma and Ministry of Drinking Water deputy director Sidhi Sasi are part of the delegation.On Friday and Saturday, the team will assess the situation in Kasargod and Wayanad districts. More discussions will be held after the team reaches back in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.The team will assess the damage suffered owing to rain during the period from May 28 to September 15. However, according to the criteria of Calamities Relief Fund, this will come to a loss of Rs 1,693.582 crore.At the review meeting, Niveditha P Haran said that so far the state had not received the first instalment from the Calamities Relief Fund. Compared to previous years, this year there was four percentage additional rains. Owing to this, a total of 1,192 villages were affected. Due to agricultural damage in an area of 32,344 hectares, a loss to the tune of Rs 5,987 lakh occurred. As many as 12,477 houses got damaged either fully or partially.As many as 133 people died and seven were critically injured. As per the assessment, more than 500 animals and 13,376 birds died. According to the report submitted by the state, out of the 23,241 km road under the Works Department, 4,988 km got damaged in the rain.The state has begun the maintenance and repair of the roads. However, owing to lack of funds, the work is going on at a slow pace, said Works Department secretary Manoj Joshy. Due to the damage of PWD roads, the state suffered a loss of Rs 883 crore while a loss of Rs 111.05 crore happened owing to the damage of corporation roads and an a loss of Rs 648 crore happened owing to the damage of panchayat roads.
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