Murasu Causes Crop Damage, Flooding in South Coastal AP
Cyclone affects 1.75 lakh people and inundates over 52,000 hectares of paddy, cotton and maize crops across Andhra Pradesh.
Cyclone Murasu crossed the coast in the early hours of Tuesday, bringing day-long rain to Guntur, Bapatla, Prakasam and Palnadu districts and damaging crops across south coastal Andhra Pradesh.
The preliminary statewide assessment put the area of inundated crops at 30,600 hectares of paddy, 21,474 hectares of cotton and 605 hectares of maize. Around 1.75 lakh people and 44,651 households were affected.
IMD said Bapatla recorded the highest rainfall in the state at 22cm in the 24 hours ending at 8.30am on Tuesday. Narsapuram in West Godavari district received 20cm, followed by Karamchedu in Bapatla district with 16cm and Addanki with 15cm.
Bhimavaram in West Godavari district recorded 13cm. Racherla in Prakasam, Palakoderu in West Godavari and Ongole in Prakasam received 12cm each. Seetharamapuram in Nellore and Bestavaripeta in Prakasam recorded 11cm each.
Masulipatnam and Avanigadda in Krishna district received 8cm each, while Santhamaguluru and Repalle in Bapatla district recorded 7cm each.
The storm uprooted thousands of trees and electricity poles as it moved inland.
Reports said SPSR Nellore district largely escaped the impact of Murasu, while neighbouring Prakasam district suffered extensive damage. Strong winds uprooted trees, electricity poles and standing crops in several areas.
Several large trees were uprooted, including at the Ongole collectorate premises. One of them damaged the statue of Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu. Police and fire personnel cleared trees blocking the roads.
According to the agriculture department’s crop damage assessment report released on Tuesday night, the cyclone damaged crops over 3,151 hectares in 72 villages across seven mandals in Prakasam district, affecting 3,314 farmers.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation through teleconferences with district collectors and senior officials. He directed them to expedite restoration work, provide relief to affected families and remain vigilant against further flooding.
The administration was asked to stay on alert as heavy rainfall could continue in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh.
IMD said the severe cyclonic storm over south coastal Andhra Pradesh had moved north-northwestwards at 7kmph during the previous six hours and weakened into a cyclonic storm. It was centered over the same region, about 40km west-northwest of Bapatla, 60km north of Ongole, 80km southwest of Vijayawada, 120km north of Kavali and 110km west of Machilipatnam.
The cyclonic storm was likely to continue moving north-northwestwards and weaken into a deep depression by midnight on Tuesday, with wind speeds of 55-65kmph and gusts reaching 75kmph, IMD stated.
