The impact of cyclone Gaja in the Northern peninsula on Thursday night was minimal compared to the ravages it had caused in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Jaffna District Secretary Nagalingam Vedanayagan told the Sunday Observer.
Damage was caused to buildings in all 15 Divisional Secretary areas of the Jaffna district due to heavy storms and torrential rains throughout Thursday night until Friday morning, the GA said.
According to the latest figures,1,505 families totalling 5,570 members were affected with 89 houses being fully damaged and 978 houses partly damaged, he said.
Some of the families whose houses were fully damaged are staying in nearby school buildings, while the others have returned to their homes after makeshift renovations.
Cooked food was supplied to the affected families and temporary relief of Rs.10,000 was paid to each family while more relief assistance will be disbursed to them later, based on the extent of damage caused to their houses and properties, the GA said.
The inhabitants of the offshore island Kayts were perturbed and waited to be evacuated since the sea rose and water gushed in, but the Disaster Management authorities told them that it was due to the storm and there was would be no major disaster, the GA said.
According to the latest reports, cyclone Gaja played havoc in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu with 23 people dead, 81,948 people staying in 471 relief camps, 76,290 people evacuated and extensive damage caused to the power-supply network.