Andhra Pradesh [India]: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference on the impact of Cyclone Arnab. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu held a review with collectors of cyclone-affected districts, Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) officials and staff working at the field level.
The Chief Minister spent the entire night on Tuesday taking information about the impact of the cyclone, precautions to be taken and the situation at the field level. Chief Minister Chandrababu continued to review the situation till 1:30 am. Even after this, he kept taking updates from time to time and giving instructions to the officials.
At 6:15 am on Wednesday, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu again held a teleconference and enquired about the situation in the cyclone-affected areas and the ongoing relief work. Officials informed the chief minister that the cyclone is crossing the coast. RTGS officials said that due to its impact, there is a possibility of heavy rains today and tomorrow. Officials informed the chief minister that trees have fallen in many areas and electric poles have also fallen in some places due to the cyclone. As a precautionary measure, they have suspended power supply in the cyclone-affected areas, officials said.
The Chief Minister directed to immediately remove the fallen trees and take steps to restore power supply when the situation becomes normal. He asked them to take precautions to ensure that tanks and canals do not overflow. The Collectors informed about the relief work being done in their respective districts. The Konaseema district collector said that around 6,000 electric poles have fallen there. The Konaseema Collector said that the rain has subsided, but strong winds are still blowing.
Earlier, Naidu had said in a X post that 2,199 cyclone shelters have been identified and a plan has been prepared to evacuate people to safer places, with priority being given to the elderly, children, differently-abled and pregnant women. So far, 2,360 pregnant women have been shifted to medical centers.
12 teams of NDRF and 10 teams of SDRF are being deployed in various districts. Police, fire services and medical teams have been pressed into service, while the Navy and Coast Guard are also on standby to help. Food, drinking water, medicines and generators are being arranged and more than 8,400 workers have been hired to restore power. The control rooms are working round the clock.
The Chief Minister has appealed to the people to remain calm, alert and cooperate with the administration. Whenever advised, immediately move to designated shelters. Fishermen should not venture into the sea unless official permission is obtained. Keep the essentials with you and keep the phone charged. Avoid unnecessary travel, do not go near beaches, riverbanks, flooded areas, and downed power lines. Stay in a safe shelter until the administration confirms that the danger has passed.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the extremely severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’ started making landfall on the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam in the early hours of Wednesday. The maximum wind speed was 125-135 kmph, while the wind speed reached 150 kmph.
[DD News]