HYDERABAD: Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil is visiting the State on Tuesday for an assessment of the damage caused by `Ogni' even as the water levels in Krishna, Guntur and West Godavari districts began to recede.

Mr. Patil, who heads the National Calamities Contingency Fund, is likely to announce Central assistance. He will arrive at Vijayawada airport (Gannavaram) at 10.30 a.m. from Delhi and head straight to the affected areas by a helicopter. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will accompany him.

Mr. Patil will leave Machilipatnam at 12.20 p.m. for Nagaram and Chirala areas in Guntur district.

He will leave Chirala at 4 p.m. for Hyderabad airport where he will go around a photo exhibition.

Toll mounts to 35

Meanwhile, the toll mounted to 35, the last casualty being the gunman of B. Veda Vyas, Congress MLA. After a search for two days by two helicopters and two teams of Naval divers, his body was traced floating in Lajjabanda drain on Monday morning. The Chief Minister reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting.

The loss was put at Rs.1,455.50 crores. Disaster Management Commissioner Preeti Sudan said that a large number of families were leaving relief camps following the signs of water receding. In all, 62,000 families were taking shelter in 323 camps.

Drains in the coastal belt began to flow into the Bay of Bengal following a let-up in the high tides.

Consequently, there was less inundation in the affected areas.

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