Congress would put pressure on government to help cyclone victims: Rahul Gandhi

VISAKHAPATNAM: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today said his party would put pressure on the government to ensure that the victims of cyclone Hudhud in coastal Andhra Pradesh were taken care of.

"I have come here to see with my own eyes the damage that has happened here. I want to assure you that whatever we can do, we are going to do, to make sure this city and other parts of the state that have been damaged, can stand up again and we can all be proud of that.

"We are going to raise this issue in Parliament and we are going to put pressure on the government to ensure that you get justice," Rahul said, addressing a gathering at the Vizag Steel Plant which also suffered heavy damages.

Actor-turned-politician and former Union Minister Chiranjeevi, Andhra Pradesh Congress president N Raghuveera Reddy and other leaders were present on the occasion.

Gandhi is scheduled to visit the victims of the cyclone during his visit to coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The cyclone claimed 50 lives and caused massive damage in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.

Rough estimates put the losses due to the cyclonic storm at Rs 70,000 crores.