India, Nov. 3 -- Karnataka will send 500 skilled powermen with the necessary equipment to help restore power infrastructure in cyclone-hit Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said Monday, November 2.

Shivakumar said Cyclone Arnab had uprooted more than 15,000 electricity poles, making restoration of power infrastructure critical. He said Andhra Pradesh had sought Karnataka's assistance, and that he had spoken to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart, Chandrababu Naidu.

The state's Energy Department is coordinating the assistance, with Energy Minister K J George closely monitoring the situation, Shivakumar said. The workers and equipment are meant to speed up restoration work and help bring electricity back early in the cyclone-affect...