Madurai: Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has sought Rs 3,700 crore assistance from the Centre for cyclone relief works, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister R B Udhayakumar said.

Talking to reporters after distributing relief measures to cyclone affected people, he said the Centre has so far released Rs 650 crore for cyclone relief works.

Stating that the Central team which had visited the State and made an on-the-spot assessment of the damages caused by the Cyclone, would also submit its report to the Centre along with their recommendations including financial assistance.

Udhayakumar said work on to assess the extent of damage caused to crops across the State due to the cyclone would commence soon.

He said Palaniswami, without waiting for the Centre to release the funds, decided to go ahead with providing the compensation immediately to the needy.

On the handling of the the Cyclones Nivar and Burevi, he said almost all the districts experienced heavy to very heavy rains and they were handled with precision.

“We have learnt from the past and are clear about not making any mistakes,” he added.

Noting that the proactive approach of the government in handling Cyclones Nivar and Burevi had saved not only the lives of people in low-lying areas, but also ensured that the damage to vital installations was minimal, he said.

Palaniswami and his team worked round-the-clock during the cyclone period by being in constant touch with the field officials and helped in making quick decisions.