AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu conference about Cyclone Arnab | NCBN X

Amaravati: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Wednesday that early planning and round-the-clock monitoring through the Real-Time Governance System (RTGS) helped the state limit the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab. Addressing the media from the RTGS Centre at the State Secretariat, he said the government’s priority throughout was to minimise loss of life and property and four people reportedly died.

Speaking further, Naidu said that he held seven review meetings in three days. Information was passed continuously through RTGS to District Collectors and field staff. Low-lying areas were evacuated first, and people were moved to shelters. Drones were kept ready to deliver food and medicine in emergencies. He said he monitored the situation through teleconferences with 30,000 field-level officials and staff, and praised everyone from the Chief Secretary to the Swarna Grama and Swarna Ward staff for working day and night.
The Chief Minister expressed grief over the death of four people. Two people died in Visakhapatnam, one in Anakapalli and one in Bhimavaram. “We could not save their lives despite our efforts,” he said, offering condolences to the families. He noted that the deaths occurred after the cyclone had crossed the coast.
The Chief Minister said that the cyclone’s path was tracked continuously from RTGS using IMD data and satellite imagery, and technology was used to predict the worst-hit areas. Because of conditions at sea, the system stayed over the AP coast for about 10 hours, with winds touching 150 km/h at landfall.
Heavy rain lashed the region from Srikakulam to Krishna district. Visakhapatnam recorded 21 cm, Vizianagaram 18 cm, Srikakulam 14 cm and Krishna 9 cm. He said the cyclone cut the state’s rainfall deficit by 12 percent. Plans had been made in advance on which tanks and reservoirs to fill, and not a single tank breached anywhere in the state. More rain is expected in Srikakulam and Manyam, and those areas have been alerted.
Meanwhile, the government is working to help farmers and families who lost crops, houses and property. Recalling Cyclones Hudhud and Titli, Naidu said the state learnt lessons from each cyclone and added that despite the technology available today, normalcy was restored on a war footing in the past.

While talking about the power situation, he said that about 15,000 electric poles were uprooted across the state, along with trees. Power has been restored in all districts except parts of Konaseema and West Godavari, where mud and rain are slowing the work, he said. Naidu said supply there will be restored by the evening of the day after tomorrow. Traffic on state highways and panchayat roads will be restored by tonight, he stated.

Chief Minister announced financial assistance for families of those killed in Cyclone Arnab, people whose houses were damaged, displaced families, small businesses, vehicle owners and fishermen who suffered losses. The government will pay Rs 5 lakh to the family of each cyclone victim and ₹10,000 to each household whose house was damaged, he said. Addressing the media at the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Centre in the state Secretariat, Naidu said the government would ensure justice for everyone who suffered crop losses or property damage due to the cyclone.

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