Andhra Pradesh is beginning restoration and relief operations after Cyclone Arnab uprooted about 15,000 electricity poles, damaged homes and property, and left four people dead across the state, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday. The government has announced financial assistance for bereaved families, damaged households, fishermen, farmers, small businesses and other affected groups.
Speaking at the Real Time Governance Society Centre in the State Secretariat, Naidu said early planning and round-the-clock monitoring through the Real-Time Governance System helped limit the cyclone’s impact. He said the government’s priority was to reduce loss of life and property, with information passed continuously to District Collectors and field staff.
The cyclone remained over the Andhra Pradesh coast for about 10 hours because of conditions at sea, with winds reaching 150 km per hour at landfall, according to the Chief Minister. Its path was tracked through India Meteorological Department data and satellite imagery, while the state used the monitoring system to identify areas expected to face the worst conditions.
Low-lying areas were evacuated first and residents were moved to shelters. Naidu said he held seven review meetings over three days and monitored the situation through teleconferences involving 30,000 field-level officials and staff. Drones were also kept ready to deliver food and medicines in emergencies.
The four reported deaths occurred after the cyclone crossed the coast. Two people died in Visakhapatnam and one each in Anakapalli and Bhimavaram. Naidu expressed condolences to the families and said the government had been unable to save their lives despite its efforts.
Heavy rain affected districts from Srikakulam to Krishna. Visakhapatnam recorded 21 centimetres of rain, followed by 18 centimetres in Vizianagaram, 14 centimetres in Srikakulam and 9 centimetres in Krishna, the Chief Minister said. He added that the cyclone reduced the state’s rainfall deficit by 12 per cent. Officials had planned in advance which tanks and reservoirs would be filled, and Naidu said no tank breached anywhere in the state.
Power had been restored in all districts except parts of Konaseema and West Godavari, where mud and continuing rain were slowing repair work. Naidu said electricity supply in those areas would be restored by the evening of the day after tomorrow. Traffic on state highways and panchayat roads was expected to resume by Thursday night, he said.
The state government has announced Rs 5 lakh for the family of each cyclone victim and Rs 10,000 for every household whose house was damaged. Assistance has also been promised to displaced families, farmers who lost crops, small businesses, vehicle owners and fishermen who suffered losses.
Naidu is scheduled to tour cyclone-hit areas in Konaseema and West Godavari to assess the damage. The government has said it will continue evaluating crop and property losses and provide relief to affected residents.
