Amaravati, Oct 29: Cyclone Montha, which crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast past midnight on Tuesday, left two persons dead, damaged standing crops over 1.50 lakh acres and disrupted power and transportation. The government said the loss was minimised due to the precautionary measures put in place.
Neighbouring Telangana also received heavy rains.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said two persons died in the state due to the severe cyclonic storm Montha, observing that precautionary measures minimised loss.
Montha, which means a fragrant flower in Thai, crossed Andhra Pradesh coast around Antarvedi village in Konaseema district, near Narasapur in West Godavari district in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
Following its landfall, Montha weakened into a deep depression over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Telangana. It is likely to move north to northwestwards towards south Chhattisgarh and further weaken into a depression, the Met office said.
Naidu undertook an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected areas, which included Bapatla, Palnadu, Krishna, Konaseema and Eluru districts.
As part of his tour, he visited a relief camp at Odalarevu village of Allavaram mandal in Konaseema district, where he distributed essential supplies to evacuees, which included 25 kg rice and other items and an amount of Rs 3,000 cash per family.
“Whatever, extensive damage occurred because of this (cyclone). This is a major calamity to the state. However, we managed to save a bit. We brought 1.8 lakh people into relief camps. I came to see how the camps are,” he said.
“We turned off power in emergency situations and revived immediately,” said the CM, adding that except for four sub-stations, all others received power.
According to the CM, paddy and horticultural crops suffered damage.
“There was extreme rain in some districts–Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla district and Parchur areas. I saw in my aerial survey, these places were flooded,” he added.
Earlier, Naidu asked he entire government machinery to continue their efforts for another two days to give more relief to the cyclone-affected people.
He directed officials to estimate the damage caused by the cyclone across various departments so that it could be furnished to the Union government.
Citing preliminary estimates, the government had noted on Tuesday that standing agricultural crops in as many as 38,000 hectares were destroyed due to the impact of Montha and horticulture crops in 1.38 lakh hectares were damaged too.
Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu on Wednesday said although the intensity of ‘Montha’ has reduced after landfall, power and transportation disruptions persist in several affected districts.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams continued restoration work.
Fallen trees were cleared on the Nizampatnam Repalle road, Machilipatnam Manginapudi road and Anakapalli and Machilipatnam regions.
G Sai Prasad, special chief secretary, disaster management said the CM reviewed the rain and flood situation and directed officials to distribute essential commodities.
Government will distribute 25 kg rice and red gram dal, cooking oil, onions, potatoes and sugar, one kg each. For weavers and fishermen, double the quantity of rice will be distributed.
On Wednesday morning, heavy rain accompanied by gales lashed Vijayawada city and a number of trees were uprooted and several roads were inundated under the impact of ‘Montha’ crossing the coast.
Meanwhile, the Met Department forecast light to moderate rainfall likely at most places in Andhra Pradesh and Yanam and heavy to very rainfall at a few places till October 29.
Similarly, it forecast extremely heavy rainfall of greater than 20 cm at isolated places during the same period.
For October 30, it said light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Andhra Pradesh was likely.
Parts of neiighbouring Telangana received heavy rains under the impact of Cyclone Montha.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday directed the entire state administration to remain on high alert following heavy rains.
Reviewing the cyclone’s impact, particularly on paddy harvesting, he instructed the authorities to take necessary precautions to minimise losses, an official release said. (PTI)
