Cyclone causes extensive damage to crops in Andhra Pradesh

AMARAVATI: Heavy rains due to severe cyclonic storm Michaung in Bay of Bengal inundated low-lying areas in parts of Andhra Pradesh and caused extensive damage to standing crops.

Some villages in the cyclone-affected districts were cut-off as roads were flooded due to overflowing lakes, tanks, and streams.

Road connectivity was disrupted in the affected areas due to overflowing water bodies or falling of trees and electricity poles.

The cyclone, which crossed the coast near Bapatla on Tuesday, triggered heavy rains accompanied by strong winds.

Crops over thousands of acres were damaged in the cyclone-hit districts of Bapatla, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Palnadu, Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, Alluri Sitharamaraju, Anakapalli, Nellore, and Tirupati.

Farmers were shocked over the losses when they were ready to harvest the crops.

Paddy, cotton, chilli and maize crops suffered extensive damage.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the Collectors, SPs and other senior officials of the cyclone-affected districts to focus on restoring normalcy.

During a review meeting on cyclone damage held at the Camp Office here on Wednesday, the Chief Minister virtually asked them to extend support to the affected families with humanity and sympathy.

He asked the officials to give priority to clear the water from inundated agricultural fields with all available human resources and protect the crops as per the SOPs issued by the RBKs. Agricultural Department should be ready to supply seeds on 80 per cent subsidy, he said.

Asserting that the government would stand by the loss-suffering farmers at every step from protecting the crops to purchasing the wet paddy to paying compensation, he asked them to convey this message to the farming community clearly.

Official machinery should also focus on restoring power supply and roads in affected areas while paying attention to sanitation to prevent spread of diseases, he said, adding that the government would also stand by the staff involved in relief and rescue measures.

Lauding the District Collectors and special officers for their good work in taking timely precautionary measures and helping the victims in affected areas, he asked them to be liberal in extending financial help to the victim families, not minding the finances involved.

The extent of financial support should be the same as we expect as victims, he suggested, adding that the victims should feel that the Collectors have come to their rescue in difficult times.

People whose houses are damaged should be paid Rs.10,000 each while the people being sheltered in relief camps should be treated well and given the compensation and ration without fail when they leave for home, he said, adding there should be no lacunae on this part.

The Chief Minister announced Rs 30 lakh ex-gratia for the family of a police constable from Kadapa who died when a tree fell on him during relief work.