Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has conducted the aerial survey in cyclone Arnab affected regions in the state and said that the preliminary estimate put the losses caused by the storm at Rs 4,600 crore.
Though he added that the figure could increase after a detailed assessment. The Chief Minister also informed that he spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the damage caused by cyclone and explained the situation in the state and the measures taken by the government before submitting a preliminary damage report to the Centre. CM Naidu said that he visited the affected areas personally to know the actual situation adding a compensation of Rs 1,500 will be provided for each damaged coconut tree and each damaged oil palm tree.
CM Naidu in Konaseema district to oversee relief operations at the field level, assuring residents that the state government machinery will stand by every cyclone victim.
The Chief Minister toured Cheyyeru, Vetlapalem and Gachakayalapora villages in Mummidivaram, where he spoke with farmers, displaced people and affected residents. He inspected waterlogged fields and damaged coconut plantations, and met families undergoing rehabilitation at a relief camp to understand their needs firsthand.
“Despite the many hardships caused by the cyclone, the positive response from the affected people conveyed their trust in the state government. We will live up to that trust,” Naidu said in posts on X. “The government will continue to work tirelessly until normalcy is restored in the cyclone-affected areas.”
The field visit followed a teleconference in which the Chief Minister reviewed the response with 32,000 personnel, including district collectors. Naidu said no loss of life had been reported, crediting advance precautionary measures by the administration for preventing casualties.
He directed officials to clear roads blocked by fallen trees within two hours, remove obstructions on national highways immediately, and restore power once the strong winds subsided. He stressed adequate food, drinking water and medical facilities at shelters.
With farmers among the hardest hit, Naidu asked officials to keep water out of agricultural fields, protect horticultural crops, prevent breaches in tanks and canals, and prepare preliminary crop-damage estimates. NDRF and SDRF teams were kept on standby, and officials were told to use the Manamitra system to resolve public grievances and keep complainants informed of action taken.
Konaseema was among the worst-affected districts, with winds of up to 130 kmph uprooting trees and electric poles late on Tuesday night. SP Rahul Meena said over 10,000 people had been evacuated from low-lying areas to around 495 cyclone shelters and relief centres. Two NDRF and two SDRF teams were deployed a day before the cyclone struck, with additional APSP platoons joining clearance work.
In Kakinada, SP G Bindu Madhav said a few hundred trees and fewer than 100 electric poles were uprooted, though no major damage was reported; the coastal Uppada road was washed away. In Alluri Sitaramaraju district, an old bridge in Tadiguda village of Anantagiri mandal was swept away, cutting off a hamlet, and restoration is underway.
Officials said the preliminary assessment points to limited overall impact, with teams across departments working round the clock to bring life back to normal.