Amaravati, Oct 28: Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra coast early on Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction with uprooted trees and electric poles and damaged roads, while five persons were killed in related incidents including electrocution.
In a 6-hour landfall between 2 am-8 am, the weather system crossed the coast between Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, bringing copious rains to many parts, especially those in the coastal districts.
According to officials, hundreds of villages in over 10 districts, including Eluru, West Godavari and Vizianagaram bore the brunt of the cyclone, with many localities receiving rainfall in excess of 200 mm, with low-lying areas getting inundated.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, detailing the damage caused by the cyclone, said five people were killed in incidents of electrocution and wall collapse.
Standing crops, including paddy, suffered damage over thousands of hectares.
Naidu wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking a visit by a central team to assess the extent of damage caused by the cyclone.
Earlier, the very severe cyclonic storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between 2 am- 8 am, before weakening into a severe cyclonic storm, the weather office said.
“The cyclone crossed the Andhra Pradesh & Yanam coasts to the Southwest of Yanam near latitude 16.450 N and 81.90 E, about 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur, 40 km southwest of Yanam and 60 km southwest of Kakinada,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in an official release.
Addressing a press conference at Real Time Governance System (RTGS) in the secretariat, Naidu said one person died in Visakhapatnam when he came in contact with a live electric wire after a tree fell on it. Likewise, a woman died in Vizag Rural when an electric pole fell on her, followed by an uprooted palm tree knocking down a man in Bhimavaram. A woman died in Anakapalli due to electrocution and another perished in a wall collapse incident in Sakinetipalli.
“Despite many efforts, five people died today. We have been telling, some cooperated, some were casual and ventured out and misfortune will strike us,” said Naidu.
According to the CM, the very severe cyclonic storm threw life out of gear in the southern state. He promised to visit the most affected districts– Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district and West Godavari.
Naidu said that he wrote to the Centre seeking assistance for cyclone damage and also briefed HM Shah on the intensity of the cyclone and its impact on Andhra Pradesh.
A preliminary assessment of the damage will be submitted to the Centre, followed by a comprehensive report.
He said coconut plantations and other horticultural crops suffered damage. Nearly 50,000 trees were uprooted in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari districts, he said.
In Konaseema district alone, 33,000 coconut trees were uprooted, said an official press release.
Thousands of acres of paddy fields were flattened due to the heavy gales and the downpour while a video of a banana farmer went viral in which he was found salvaging a bunch of bananas in his inundated plantation.
Due to rough sea conditions, a cargo ship was stranded off Antarvedi coast in the Bay of Bengal sea, according to PTI Videos.
According to the CM, special attention was given to ensuring uninterrupted drinking water supplies and sanitation in the affected areas.
As part of relief measures, he said 25 kg of rice will be distributed to families whose houses were inundated and 50 kg rice to affected weavers and fishermen. Besides one kilogram each of onion, cooking oil and red gram dal will be distributed to affected people.
As part of financial assistance for people who took refuge in the cyclone shelters, he said Rs 1,000 per person will be distributed and the maximum assistance would be Rs 3,000.
Further, he also announced different amounts of financial assistance to small businesses, MSMEs and other affected sections under various categories.
A decision on the relief measures will be taken at the virtual Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday, he said. (PTI)
