Arnab, as usual, destroyed

Seven dead, crops and infra damaged

metro india news I AMARAVATI

Cyclone Arnab has wreaked havoc across Andhra Pradesh, claiming seven lives and causing extensive damage to homes, roads, power infrastructure and agricultural fields as heavy rainfall and powerful winds battered several districts. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has sought immediate central assistance to assess the damage, while Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has directed district administrations to intensify relief operations and ensure that affected residents receive prompt assistance.

At Uppada in Kakinada district, enormous waves battered the coastline during the early hours, washing away sections of the Uppada-Kakinada beach road and destroying approximately 30 houses. Seawater entered several coastal settlements, including Subbampeta, Uppada, Suradapeta, Jaggarajupeta, Pallipeta, Rangampeta and Mayapatnam. The cyclone has also resulted in seven fatalities in separate incidents across the state, according to the information provided by officials.

The cyclone brought intense rainfall to North Andhra, the Godavari region, Krishna and Guntur districts. Garividi in Vizianagaram district recorded approximately 26 centimetres of rainfall, while Anakapalli, Srungavarapukota, Vepada and Cheepurupalli received around 25 centimetres.

Preliminary assessments cited by the Chief Minister indicate that approximately 70,900 hectares of paddy and 10,450 hectares of horticultural crops have been affected. Around 180 houses were damaged, and more than 220 trees fell across roads. Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan reviewed conditions with collectors from Bapatla to Srikakulam, stressing that officials must remain in the field until the situation stabilizes.

He called for immediate restoration of essential services, close monitoring of streams and reservoirs, and transparent assessment of crop losses. Meanwhile, electricity personnel have been working to restore disrupted supplies and clear fallen trees from power lines. The administration has been instructed to coordinate relief, drinking-water supply and infrastructure repairs across affected districts.

State seeks Centre’s help

In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister requested the immediate deployment of central assessment teams to evaluate the cyclone’s impact. The Chief Minister said that more than 28,000 people had been moved from vulnerable areas to safer locations and that 16 National Disaster Response Force teams and 11 State Disaster Response Force teams had been deployed across 14 districts.