Cyclone Arnab Batters Andhra Pradesh; Five Feared Dead, Crops Across 80,000 Hectares Damaged
CM Chandrababu Naidu seeks Central assistance for damage assessment and relief; NDRF and SDRF teams deployed as restoration operations continue.
At least five people are feared dead in Andhra Pradesh following the landfall of Cyclone Arnab on Wednesday, October 28, which brought heavy winds and rainfall to several parts of the state. The cyclone has caused extensive damage to agricultural crops, houses, roads and power infrastructure, prompting the state government to intensify relief and restoration operations.
Cyclone Arnab crossed the coast near Narsapuram, between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, moving towards the Yanam coast between 2 am and 8 am on October 28.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to visit the cyclone-affected areas on October 29 to assess the damage. During his visit, he will inspect damaged crops and interact with farmers in Cheyyeru and Katrenikona villages in Konaseema district. He is also expected to meet people affected by flooding who are currently taking shelter in cyclone relief camps.
Naidu said he had spoken with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and briefed him on the extent of the damage caused by the cyclone. He requested the Centre to deploy teams at the earliest to assess the losses and provide financial assistance for relief, rehabilitation and restoration work.
According to preliminary estimates, paddy and other agricultural crops spread across approximately 70,900 hectares have been damaged. Horticultural crops covering more than 10,450 hectares have also suffered losses, taking the total affected area to over 80,000 hectares.
“I explained the extensive damage caused by the cyclone, particularly to agricultural and horticultural crops, power infrastructure, roads and other public assets. In view of the widespread damage, I requested the Union Home Minister to depute Central teams at the earliest to assess the losses and extend financial assistance from the Government of India to support relief, rehabilitation and restoration efforts,” Naidu said.
On the morning of October 29, the Chief Minister held a teleconference with officials to review the relief operations. He was informed that normalcy had returned to most cyclone-affected areas, although restoration work remained underway in a few locations.
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission has announced that elections to urban local bodies will proceed as scheduled on November 1.
To strengthen sanitation and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, the state government has deployed a special task force comprising 475 personnel. A total of 100 teams have been assigned to Dr B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari districts. Their responsibilities include removing stagnant water from low-lying areas, cleaning drainage systems and carrying out bleaching and chlorination. Special teams have also been deployed to test the quality of drinking water.
The government has ordered financial assistance ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 for families staying in relief camps as they return to their homes.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Managing Director Prakhar Jain said heavy rainfall was expected at one or two locations in Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam and Vizianagaram districts on October 29. Other areas were likely to receive light to moderate rainfall.
Jain urged residents of low-lying areas to remain alert, warning that heavy rainfall could trigger flash floods. People have also been advised against attempting to cross overflowing streams and canals.
For emergency relief and rescue operations, 16 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 11 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been positioned across the affected districts. Fire service personnel and police teams are also working on the ground to clear fallen trees, remove obstructions and restore essential services.
The state government continues to monitor the situation, with priority being given to restoring normalcy, providing assistance to affected families and assessing the full extent of the cyclone-related damage.
