Sonia, who made an aerial survey of the affected areas, told a news conference at the Raj Bhavan that ``the destruction is immense''. She reviewed the situation at a high-level meeting attended by Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, senior ministers and officials. She was accompanied by a high power Congress team including AICC general secretaries Madhavrao Scindia and Pranab Mukherjee and senior leader Balram Jakhar.

The AICC president said that she would meet Prime Minister A B Vajpayee after returning to New Delhi and appeal to him to declare the destruction caused by the cyclone as a national calamity of rarest severity. Describing the calamity as the cyclone of the millennium, Sonia said that this is the right time to utilise the National Fund for Calamity Relief (NFCR).

She added that she would requestthe Prime Minister to ensure supply of adequate quantity of foodgrains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and help Orissa to solve its overdraft problem.

The Congress president has also advised chief ministers of all Congress ruled states and presidents of all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) to help the State with funds and relief materials. Several State governments including Delhi, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Goa and Andhra Pradesh have come forward with manpower and material help.

Sonia demanded that the Centre should depute a high power team to assess the damaged caused by the cyclone. Stating that Rs 100 crore released by the Centre from the NFCR will be not be sufficient, she said that State government needed Rs 500 crore to carry on relief work. She called upon all parties to rise above political consideration and help the state to tide over the crisis caused by the unprecedented calamity.

Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Madhavrao Scindia said that the rural areas had beenbadly affected by the cyclone, adding that the help rendered by the Army was satisfactory. He also underscored the need for speedy restoration of telecom facilities.