NEW DELHI, Oct 29: At least two persons were killed and livestock suffered extensive losses as well as damaged rural assets as cyclone Montha left a trail of devastation across coastal and southern Andhra Pradesh on a massive scale leaving roads inundated and trees uprooted at several places, the chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said.
Preliminary reports from the Animal Husbandry Department on Wednesday indicate that more than 200 cattle and poultry deaths occurred across several districts. In view of the losses, the government has announced compensation of ₹50,000 per buffalo, ₹25,000 per calf, and ₹100 per poultry bird for affected farmers.
The losses were reported from Guntur, Krishna, and East and West Godavari districts, where torrential rains and high winds inundated cattle sheds and poultry farms. Veterinary teams have been deployed to affected mandals to provide treatment, fodder, and shelter for surviving animals. District Collectors have been instructed to carry out immediate enumeration and release compensation without delay.
The India Meteorological Department said the cyclone weakened into a deep depression on Wednesday morning after moving north-north-westwards over coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Telangana. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) issued post-cyclone precautions asking people to drink only boiled or chlorinated water, stay indoors until authorities permit return, avoid damaged structures and stay cautious around snapped wires and fallen poles.
Rain lashed parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Telangana on Wednesday with Telangana CM Revanth Reddy directing the entire State administration to remain on high alert. Heavy rain is likely in several districts of West Bengal till Friday as cyclone Montha gradually loses intensity following landfall, the IMD said.
The AP Agriculture Minister K, Atchannaidu said although the intensity of cyclone Montha has reduced, power and transportation disruptions persist in several affected districts in the State. Following directions from the Chief Minister, power restoration to every household was being accelerated, he said. Earlier in the day Mr Naidu claimed that precautionary measures taken by the government minimised loss. He called on the entire government machinery to continue their efforts for another two days to give more relief to the cyclone-affected people.
The cyclonic storm had severely hit the air and train services in Andhra and Telangana. The Secunderabad-bound Vande Bharat Express from Visakhapatnam (Train No. 20833), along with several other rains were stranded at Khammam, Warangal, Mahabubabad, and other stations on Wednesday morning due to waterlogging at Dornakal station caused by incessant rains triggered by Cyclone Montha. Some passengers of the Vande Bharat Express, who were scheduled to disembark at Warangal, were transported by RTC buses from Khammam station.
(Manas Dasgupta)