Cyclone Arnab damage estimated at Rs 4,600 Crore: CM

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday toured cyclone-hit areas in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, interacted with affected farmers and residents, and announced that preliminary estimates put the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab at Rs 4,600 crore. He said a central assessment team would visit Andhra Pradesh to evaluate the devastation and that the government would expedite relief and compensation for affected families and farmers.

During his visit to Vetlapalem, the Chief Minister inspected waterlogged agricultural fields and spoke to farmers whose paddy crops were nearing harvest. At a rehabilitation camp in Gachchakayalapora village, the Chief Minister met cyclone-affected families and reviewed the arrangements.

Residents said officials had moved them to safety in time but reported that several huts had collapsed in the strong winds. The CM directed the district collector to take steps to restore damaged huts and examine the possibility of granting house-site pattas to eligible poor families living on government land. He also asked officials to address fishermen’s difficulties concerning boat registration.

 Despite extensive precautions, seven people had died in cyclone-related incidents, he said, expressing sorrow over the loss of life. Around 8,000 electricity poles were reported damaged in Konaseema district alone. The Chief Minister said the government had communicated the preliminary damage assessment to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had assured him that a central team would be sent to assess the situation.

He added that the initial estimate of Rs 4,600 crore could rise once detailed field-level assessments were completed. The Chief Minister recalled earlier cyclones, including the devastating 1996 hurricane, and said lessons from past disasters had helped the administration strengthen its preparedness.

The Chief Minister also announced that people returning from relief camps would receive 25 kg of rice, a packet of essential commodities and financial assistance for immediate expenses. He assured residents that officials would continue monitoring the affected areas until normal conditions were restored. He was accompanied by Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu, local public representatives and district officials during the inspection.