Cyclone leaves farmers staring at ruined harvests

Amaravati: Cyclone Arnab has devastated Andhra Pradesh’s coastal districts, turning harvest-ready fields into waterlogged expanses, destroying plantations and leaving fishing families facing the loss of their livelihoods.

In the Godavari region, violent winds and torrential rain flattened paddy crops just weeks before harvest, while towering sea waves damaged coastal settlements and smashed nearly 450 fishing boats. Flooding rivers have isolated villages, disrupted highways and railway services, and intensified hardships for thousands of families.

The cyclone struck the undivided East Godavari region around midnight on Tuesday, with winds reaching 100–120 kmph. Along the Kakinada and Konaseema coasts, the sea reportedly advanced up to 500 metres inland, damaging homes, roads and protective sea walls. Nearly 450 boats, each valued between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, were damaged or destroyed. Many fishermen had bought them with borrowed money, leaving families without their principal source of income and burdened with debt.

Konaseema suffered extensive agricultural damage, with more than one lakh acres- and estimates reaching 1.16 lakh acres- of paddy submerged. Banana and coconut plantations were devastated in Enugula Mahal, Vanapalli and other areas. Horticultural crops across an estimated 12,000 acres were damaged. Rajamahendravaram constituency reported losses across more than 25,000 acres, while East Godavari and Kakinada districts reported crop damage across approximately 50,000 hectares each.

In Anakapalli, more than 7,000 hectares of crops were submerged. Farmers said they had invested over Rs 30,000 per acre in paddy cultivation. Krishna district reported damage across 35,274 hectares, while Eluru and parts of Vizianagaram also suffered extensive crop losses. In Salur, tenant farmers lost nearly harvest-ready banana and papaya crops. With cultivation costs already incurred, many now face the prospect of losing both their harvest and the money borrowed to grow it.

In Srikakulam, the Bahuda, Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers and their tributaries inundated fields and settlements. The Bahuda surged to a reported 87,000 cusecs near Ichchapuram, flooding the National Highway and stopping traffic. NDRF teams rescued stranded lorry drivers near the old toll plaza. Eresupeta, Loddaputti, Peturu, Jagannathapuram and Ratakanna were among the marooned villages. Authorities warned residents of three Ichchapuram mandal villages of possible inundation.

The Vamsadhara overflowed Avadhanala Cheruvu in Sarubujjili mandal, submerging fields in downstream villages. The Nagavali flattened paddy in several areas. Flooding also disrupted causeways in Palasa, waterlogged government offices in Tekkali and inundated homes in several areas in Vizianagaram. In Parvathipuram Manyam, swollen streams submerged paddy fields and floodwater entered homes in low-lying Salur.

Konaseema suffered damage to nearly 10,000 electricity poles, plunging all 19 mandals into darkness. Around 2,000 personnel were engaged in restoration. Visakhapatnam restored power to 79 affected villages, while power infrastructure was also damaged in Kakinada and East Godavari.

Coastal erosion damaged the Uppada–Kakinada road. In Alluri district, landslides and washed-out roads blocked access to tourist destinations and the Araku–Visakhapatnam Ghat road, forcing travellers to take a detour via Paderu, adding around 60 km. Several reservoirs reached maximum capacity, prompting water releases, including 30,000 cusecs from Jolaput.

Rail services were also disrupted as floodwater rose near the Palasa–Jadupudi railway bridge. Officials reported 53 cancelled trains and more than 10 diversions, including services towards Howrah. In Konaseema’s river-island villages around Ayanavilli, residents reported damaged crops, uprooted coconut trees, power cuts and lack of water supply. With fields destroyed and transport links disrupted, farmers, fishermen and agricultural labourers face an uncertain recovery.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K Varaprasada Rao

K Varaprasada Rao[email protected]

K Varaprasada Rao is a Senior Reporter with The Hans India, covering the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, Chief Minister's Office (CMO), State Legislative Assembly, Legislative Council and political affairs. With over 20 years of experience in journalism in Andhra Pradesh, he has extensively reported on governance, public policy, politics, and socio-economic issues that shape the state's development and influence the country's evolving landscape. He holds a postgraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. His reporting focuses on finance, industries, irrigation, agriculture, infrastructure, investment, public administration, and political developments, with a particular interest in analysing their long-term economic and social impact.

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