Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Tuesday sent 1,000 employees of its Electricity Department to Odisha to help in restoration of power supply in cyclone 'Fani' affected areas.

This followed a request by Odisha government for help as Fani which hit Odisha coast near Puri last Friday uprooted electricity poles and damaged the supply lines, plunging several villages into darkness.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao directed Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi and Telangana Transmission Corporation Chairman and Managing Director D. Prabhakar Rao to provide the required assistance.

According to Chief Minister's Office, the 1,000 employees left for Odisha on Tuesday night.

In Odisha, the cyclonic storm has damaged 5 numbers of 400 KV towers, 27 numbers of 220 KV towers, 21 numbers of 130 KV towers, 4 numbers of 220 KV Grids at Chandaka, Bidanasi, Samagra and Mendhasala, and 4 numbers of 132 KV Grid at Puri, Nimapada, Mancheswar and Ransinghpur.

Similarly, 5030 kms of 33 KV lines, 38613 kms of 11 KV lines, 11077 distribution transformers and 79485 kms of LT lines have been damaged.

(with IANS inputs)