Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh has suffered losses amounting to Rs 6,352 crore due to Cyclone Montha, IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh informed Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a meeting in New Delhi. State Home Minister Vanagalpudi Anita accompanied him. The ministers submitted a detailed damage report, stating that both the public and critical infrastructure suffered extensive devastation.

Cyclone Montha crossed the coast near Kakinada on the night of October 28, bringing heavy rainfall and winds reaching 100 kmph, resulting in widespread destruction.

The ministers said a total of 3,109 villages across the state were affected. The state administration immediately shifted 1.92 lakh people to 2,471 rehabilitation camps and ensured supply of essential food, drinking water, milk and other necessities. Each affected family received immediate assistance of Rs 3,000.

According to the ministers, the government also undertook emergency operations, including clearing fallen trees, setting up temporary shelters and restoring disrupted water supply systems. A total of Rs 60 crore was released as immediate relief.

The state reported sector-wise losses including Rs 271 crore in agriculture and allied sectors, Rs 7 crore in housing, Rs 4,324 crore in roads and other infrastructure, Rs 41 crore in the power sector, Rs 369 crore in water resources and irrigation, Rs 1,302 crore in permanent structures and Rs 48 crore in public property.

Of the total loss, Rs 902 crore qualifies for immediate relief as per National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms. Lokesh said that an inter-ministerial central team conducted a field inspection on December 12. Later, Lokesh and Anita met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and elaborated on the extensive agricultural and infrastructure damage caused by the cyclone. They said agriculture was among the worst-hit sectors. Continuous inundation in coastal and delta regions damaged crops across 1.61 lakh hectares, including paddy, maize, cotton, groundnut, lentils and pulses, affecting 3.27 lakh farmers.

The production loss is estimated at 4.36 lakh metric tonnes. Damage to ponds, canals and rural road networks further affected farm operations.

Horticulture also suffered heavily, with 6,250 hectares, more than 33 per cent, of orchards and plantations such as banana, papaya, coconut, turmeric, chilli, vegetables and flowers, destroyed.

Support structures including nurseries, shade nets, agricultural ponds, storage sheds and water bodies were severely impacted, causing additional livelihood distress, the ministers said.