Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu to take stock of the impact of cyclones ‘Arnab’ and ‘Murasu’ on the state.
With Andhra Pradesh being hit by two cyclones within a week, the Prime Minister sought an update on the situation in the affected areas.
According to an official release, Naidu briefed PM Modi on the impact of both cyclones and the extent of damage caused across the affected regions.
The Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister that heavy rainfall and strong winds had caused significant losses to farmers. He also highlighted extensive damage to various sectors, particularly road and power infrastructure, and sought appropriate assistance from the Central government to address the situation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the state government’s efforts in carrying out relief operations and commended Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for effectively handling the challenges posed by the cyclones through continuous monitoring and vigilance.
Earlier, Naidu had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking central assistance for Andhra Pradesh, which has suffered extensive damage due to the cyclones.
In his letter, the Chief Minister highlighted the widespread damage to crops and property across several districts, the difficulties faced by residents and the relief measures initiated by the state government. He urged the Centre to release the required financial assistance without delay.
Shah had also spoken to Naidu on Tuesday to take stock of the impact of Cyclone ‘Murasu’, assess the extent of the damage and review the ongoing relief operations. The Chief Minister briefed the Union Home Minister on the prevailing situation in the state.
Speaking with Amit Shah twice in one day, the Chief Minister explained the cumulative losses caused by the back-to-back cyclones. He noted that before the state could fully recover from the impact of Cyclone Arnab, the arrival of Cyclone ‘Murasu’ had further complicated the situation.
The Chief Minister informed the Union Home Minister that Cyclone ‘Murasu’ has caused an estimated preliminary loss of Rs 343.95 crore across eight government departments in the state. He noted that approximately 94 per cent of this loss occurred in the agricultural sector.
Crops spanning 50,473 hectares across 465 villages in seven districts have been damaged, affecting 69,828 farmers. Of this, 45,900 hectares consist of paddy crops, with the total preliminary loss to the agricultural sector estimated at Rs 324.22 crore. The Chief Minister highlighted that the damage to crops, including horticultural produce, is particularly severe in the Bapatla, Krishna, and Guntur districts.
He explained that, anticipating the impact of the cyclone, the State Disaster Management Authority, the Real-Time Governance Society, and emergency operations centres were placed on high alert. To facilitate relief and rehabilitation efforts in the affected areas, 11 SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) teams and 13 NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams were kept on standby.
Furthermore, 480 schools in the affected districts have been converted into relief centres, and 12,230 people have been evacuated to safer locations.
