Andhra govt submits report to Centre; estimates Rs 5,244 cr damage from cyclone 'Montha'

Amaravati, Oct 31 (PTI) The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday submitted a report to the Centre estimating losses of Rs 5,244 crore caused by cyclone 'Montha', according to preliminary assessments.

Chief Secretary K Vijayanand submitted the report, which stated that 1,434 villages and 48 urban areas were affected by the severe cyclonic storm, while 161 mandals received heavy rainfall.

"Andhra Pradesh suffered a loss of Rs 5,244 crore due to the Montha cyclone, according to a preliminary report submitted by Chief Secretary K Vijayanand to the central government," a press release said.

Breaking down the damages, the report noted that 4,794 km of R&B roads and 311 culverts and bridges were damaged, resulting in losses of Rs 2,794 crore.

Similarly, 862 km of Panchayat Raj roads, along with culverts and bridges, suffered damages worth Rs 454 crore, while infrastructure losses in urban areas were pegged at Rs 109 crore.

The cyclone also caused extensive crop damage, with agricultural produce in 1.38 lakh hectares affected, leading to losses of Rs 829 crore and impacting 1.74 lakh farmers.

In the horticulture sector, 12,215 hectares were damaged, causing losses of Rs 40 crore, while the aquaculture sector reported damages worth Rs 514 crore, Vijayanand said.

According to the report, 2,261 livestock perished in the cyclone. The power sector suffered losses of Rs 19 crore, followed by the irrigation sector (Rs 234 crore) and the health sector (Rs 122 crore).

A total of 3,045 houses were damaged across 23 districts, while the government spent Rs 32 crore on relief centres that accommodated 1.37 lakh people, the report added. PTI STH SSK