TDP chief urges PM to declare Cyclone Michaung a national disaster

AMARAVATI: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, on Sunday appealed to the Centre to declare Cyclone Michaung that caused huge damage in the state as a national calamity.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Naidu said that the cyclone caused widespread devastation in the state claiming six lives and bringing the lives of several lakhs of people to a standstill in at least 15 districts. Preliminary assessment indicated extensive damage with crop loss in 22 lakh acres amounting to a staggering Rs 10,000 crore, Chandrababu mentioned in the letter.

Significant loss of cattle, livestock and trees also reported while the impact on infrastructure is alarming with almost 770 km long of roads damaged, said Chandrababu. Critical facilities like drinking water, irrigation and electricity suffered heavy impact, he said. Major sectors like agriculture and fishing suffered heavily, Chandrababu said and mentioned in the letter that four farmers have taken their lives due to crop loss. The fishing communities lost boats, nets and their means of livelihood.

"In light of these circumstances and recognising that the impact of the cyclone was not confined to Andhra Pradesh alone but has also affected neighbouring Tamil Nadu, I earnestly request the declaration of the Michaung cyclone as a national disaster," Chandrababu Naidu said in the letter to the Prime Minister. The TDP supremo also requested that the Government of India dispatch a team to assess and estimate the extent of the damage caused by the cyclone.

Naidu wrote that declaring a national disaster will provide the necessary impetus for both immediate relief efforts and the establishment of resilient long-term infrastructure. “Moreover, such a declaration will instill confidence among the victims, signalling a united front against the challenges posed by this calamity,” he added.