Cyclone Montha ravages: Rahul urges Centre to step in, terms crop rout 'heartbreaking'

New Delhi, Nov 1 (PTI) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday expressed concern over the destruction caused by Cyclone Montha in Andhra Pradesh and urged the state and Centre to take urgent action.  "The destruction caused by Cyclone Montha in Andhra Pradesh has caused immense hardship across many districts. My thoughts are with everyone who has lost their loved ones, homes and livelihoods," Gandhi said in a post on X.  "It's heartbreaking to see our farmers, who worked tirelessly for months, lose their entire crop overnight," he said.  The Congress leader said that the party in Andhra Pradesh is on the ground, listening to people and assessing the damage.  "We urge both the State and Central Governments to act immediately - the scale of devastation demands urgent and compassionate action," Gandhi said in his post.   Cyclone Montha has affected agricultural produce over 1.38 lakh hectares, and dealt losses of Rs 829 crore, impacting 1.74 lakh farmers.  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. PTI SKC      VN VN