Cyclone Murasu damages 30,661 hectares of crops in Andhra Pradesh
Krishna, Bapatla and Nandyal districts were among the worst hit by the storm which affected 132 mandals.
Cyclone Murasu crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast near Ongole between 3:30 am and 5:30 am on Tuesday, damaging 30,661 hectares of crops across 15 districts, according to the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) and the Disaster Management Authority (DMA) reported by Deccan Herald.
Preliminary estimates indicate that paddy, cotton and maize crops suffered the most damage. The cyclone's impact exceeded normal levels in 132 mandals across the affected districts, with gusty winds of up to 107 km/h recorded at Dornala in Markapuram district.
The state government evacuated 10,805 people to cyclone shelters and arranged 171 relief camps. According to an official press release, 11 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 13 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were deployed for relief operations, alongside 185 Fire Department teams to clear uprooted trees.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that government machinery worked in coordination to prevent loss of life and minimise property damage. He noted that approximately 31,000 electric poles collapsed, disrupting power in 4,095 villages and 548 sub-station limits.
As a precaution, 3,066 pregnant women and 1,008 nursing mothers were shifted to hospitals. Naidu stated that about 5,000 pregnant women were identified and shifted in advance, resulting in 1,029 deliveries in one week.
The Chief Minister also briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah and spoke to the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and Telangana Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, to request additional manpower for power restoration.