The state’s damage assessment submitted to the Centre includes:

1. Agriculture & Allied Sectors: Rs 271 crore
2. Housing Damage: Rs 7 crore
3. Roads & Infrastructure: Rs 4,324 crore
4. Power Sector: Rs 41 crore
5. Water Resources & Irrigation: Rs 369 crore
6. Permanent Structures: Rs 1,302 crore
7. Public Assets: Rs 48 crore

Andhra Pradesh Ministers Nara Lokesh and Vangalapudi Anita on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi, submitting a consolidated report on the widespread destruction caused by Cyclone Montha. The ministers appealed for immediate central assistance to help the state recover from the massive human, agricultural and infrastructural losses recorded across coastal and inland regions.

According to the assessment presented to the Centre, Cyclone Montha, which made landfall near Kakinada on October 28 with winds touching 100 kmph, impacted 3,109 villages in 443 mandals across 24 districts, affecting nearly 9.53 lakh people and causing an estimated Rs 6,352 crore in overall damage.

In their meeting with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Lokesh and Anita detailed the extent of destruction and the hardship faced by communities in the cyclone-hit regions. They explained that continuous rainfall, inundation and strong winds had crippled essential services and damaged large areas of agricultural land and physical infrastructure.

Lokesh highlighted the swift actions taken by the Andhra Pradesh government, including the evacuation of 1.92 lakh people to 2,471 relief camps, where food, drinking water, milk and other essentials were supplied. Each affected family received an immediate relief payment of Rs 3,000, and Rs 60 crore was released as emergency support. Fallen trees were cleared, water pipelines restored, temporary shelters arranged and damaged infrastructure addressed on priority.

Officials informed the Union Minister that an Inter-Ministerial Central Team had already inspected affected regions on November 12.

Before submitting the report, the ministers visited the Parliament complex, where they interacted with TDP MPs at the party parliamentary office. They discussed the state’s preparedness, ongoing relief measures and the need for coordinated efforts to secure central aid.

In a separate meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the ministers presented detailed findings on the agricultural losses triggered by the cyclone. Continuous rains and waterlogging devastated crops in 1.61 lakh hectares of farmland, resulting in 4.36 lakh metric tonnes of crop loss and affecting 3.27 lakh farmers. Paddy, maize, cotton, groundnut, millets and red gram were among the worst-hit crops.

The horticulture sector suffered equally severe damage, with 6,250 hectares, nearly one-third of the cultivated area, under crops like banana, papaya, coconut, turmeric, chillies, vegetables and flowers destroyed. Support structures such as shade nets, nurseries, farm ponds, storage units and plantation frameworks collapsed under the cyclone’s impact.

The ministers stressed the urgent need for central assistance to help restore irrigation canals, tanks, bund roads and rural infrastructure essential for agricultural revival.

Lokesh informed the Agriculture Minister that coordinated efforts by SDRF, NDRF and district administrations significantly reduced casualties. Rapid loss assessment teams examined damage across agriculture, infrastructure and public utilities, enabling the state to compile comprehensive reports swiftly.

Seeking immediate Central support, Lokesh said the state requires urgent funds for both relief and long-term rehabilitation of affected farmers, horticulture growers and rural communities. He emphasised that Cyclone Montha has caused deep economic distress and that timely intervention from the Centre will be critical to restore livelihoods and rebuild damaged infrastructure.