AMALAPURAM. India. Nov 11: An outbreak of cholera haa gripped vast areas tn the southeastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where more than 1.000 people died in a devastat Ing cyclone tour days ago. officials said today, reports AFP

State Chief Minister Chan drababu Naidu, meanwhile, said today more than 1.500 people could Nave perished tn the cyclone in Andhra Pradesh, home to 70 million people He said it could take the state up to 30 years to recover from what he ' called the "national calamity

Cholera and other water borne diseases have started spreading in coastal towns a state government official said. "There are no hospitals in many areas as they nave been washed away.”

The official said state run health centres were flooded and drainage facilities were clogged.

“The underground drainage system has been choked and sewage is overflowing into the streets, he said. “Water is also stagnating in several other parts of the coast."

A police officer said there was a danger of the epidemic spreading to several other vil-

luges.

Amineni Srinivas, deputy police chief, said “There are dead bodies and carcasses lying all around the place unattended tor the past tew days But we are taking the best possible precautions?

The Eenadu newspaper, one of the state's largest-selling vernacular dailies, said cholera and gastroenteritis had started spreading in the port town of Kakinada

Precautions were being taken by state authorities to contain disease but a large number of areas are cut off. the daily quoting an official said.

The municipal staff is not doing a good job to clear the de bris? It said, adding that "tn the district of Balusudwipa more than 1.000 fishermen are feared dead, it said.

Eenadu said at least 250 medical teams equipped with power generators had been airdropped with the navy starting searches for surviving fisher men.

Officials said several villages were swept away when the cyclone, packing winds of 200 miles (150 kilometres) an hour hit the east and west Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh.

llanked by the Bay ol Bengal on the east

It prised roofs off factories, toppled trees onto vehicles, destroyed fuel stations and blew away telephone booths and roadside restaurants in and around Amalapuram. one of the worst-hit towns.

Villagers, starving for the past three days, were sitting on make shift shelters hoping relief teams would reach them, witnesses said.

“The government has Cromised us money. Nothing as been given yet. People are still living in the open and we have not eaten for the past three days? K Adinarayana. a marooned villager, said

The village of Anathavaram. 35 kilometres (21 miles) from the coast, was devastated, every house there was flattened and coconut and banana plantations were decimated

Parama Hansa, another police official said four islands Inhabited by some 2.000 people in the Bay of Bengal were washed away by tidal waves during the gale

An Indian minister said Saturday the cost of the damage caused by the cyclone would reach one billion dollars.