AP Assessing Cyclone Damage: Relief and Rehabilitation to Continue

Andhra Pradesh government is assessing the damage caused by the two cyclones, Arnab and Murasu, which wreaked havoc within a gap of a couple of days, and would seek liberal central assistance.

Meanwhile, the government will continue the relief and rehabilitation programme until assistance reaches the last affected person, said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu while talking to reporters at Returu Village in Guntur district. He said extensive damage has been caused by the Murasu cyclone in Guntur, Bapatla and Prakasam. Farmers suffered losses just when their crops were ready for harvest.

He said farmers had already faced difficult conditions due to El Nino but cultivated crops after receiving water through the Pattiseema project, adding that Cyclone Murasu struck when their crops were nearing harvest and expected to yield well. Murasu crossed the coast on Tuesday between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole.

He said the government was seeking assistance from Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for cyclone relief operations. Around 30,000 electricity poles uprooted during Cyclone Arnab had been restored, while another 10,000 poles were damaged during Cyclone Murasu. Electricity supply to aquaculture ponds was also being restored at the earliest.

The CM said precautionary measures taken by the government helped minimise property damage and enabled relief operations to be undertaken swiftly. He urged people not to take cyclone warnings lightly when advance alerts were issued.

He further said the government was creating widespread awareness to ensure every farmer enrolled for crop insurance, adding that farmers could recover their lost investments through crop insurance and input subsidies.

Naidu said a comprehensive assessment of the damage caused by both cyclones was underway and the government had been regularly sharing information with the Centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also enquired about the impact of the cyclones, he said.

The government would continue working until relief reached every affected person, he said and promised to find a permanent solution to the Nallamada drain problem.

Referring to the erstwhile YSRCP government's tenure between 2019 and 2024, Naidu said "extensive destruction" had occurred in the state during that period.

Naidu said while coastal districts were battered by cyclones, El Nino had affected Rayalaseema, where water scarcity persisted. Central teams had also visited the region to study the drought situation, he said.

Pointing out that water from coastal areas was flowing into the sea while Rayalaseema faced shortages, he said the government was according top priority to water security and efficient management of available resources.

Earlier, Naidu visited cyclone-hit villages in Bapatla district and inspected agricultural fields inundated by Cyclone Murasu.

At Jillellamudi, he inspected submerged paddy fields and interacted with farmers to assess the extent of crop damage and the investments they had made in cultivation, a press release said.

Farmers told him that their crops had been damaged just before harvest. They recalled the government's support in supplying water during drought conditions.

Naidu asked the farmers whether they had enrolled under the crop insurance scheme and said insurance coverage and input subsidies could provide relief in the event of natural calamities.

He said awareness about crop insurance would also be increased among farmers.

The CM inspected the flow of floodwater near the Jillellamudi bridge, where officials briefed him on inundation in several areas due to the heavy flow of water in the stream.

Farmers raised concerns over damaged gates of the Nallamada stream and sought their repair. Naidu directed officials to submit proposals for repairing the existing gates or installing new ones.

He asked officials to examine measures to prevent floodwater from entering agricultural fields and ensure its effective utilisation.

The CM later inspected road stretches damaged by erosion between Jillellamudi and Returu.

Farmers from Returu told him that they had cultivated crops using water supplied through the Pattiseema project but had suffered losses due to the cyclone.

Naidu said planning water releases ahead of the cropping season could help minimise crop losses during cyclones, it said.

He also referred to the Polavaram project in this context, highlighting its role in facilitating early cultivation.

At Returu, the CM inspected inundated paddy fields and enquired about the progress of crop damage assessments.

He interacted with representatives of Water Users Associations and sought details about the removal of weeds and other obstructions from canals and sluices to ensure the smooth flow of water.

Severe cyclonic storm Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, near Ongole, on Tuesday, claiming eight lives, officials said.

Five deaths were reported in Bapatla district, two in Guntur and one in Palnadu.

The state government has released Rs 37 crore to the affected districts for immediate relief, according to a press release.

A preliminary assessment showed that crop damage was reported across 1.4 lakh hectares, affecting more than 1.8 lakh farmers. Horticultural crops were damaged over 6,749 hectares, impacting 12,586 farmers.

The state government has pegged the damage caused by Cyclone Murasu, according to preliminary estimates, at Rs 1,919 crore.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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