Bhupalpally: Collector Promises Aid to Farmers Hit By Tornado

Collector Rahul Sharma, along with district forest officer (DFO) M. Naveen Reddy and officials from the agriculture department, visited the affected fields where cotton, chilli, and paddy crops were destroyed. Interacting directly with the farmers, the collector noted that this was the first time such a tornado had occurred in the region.

He said the powerful wind, which swept from the Godavari River across the fields and into the forest, is estimated to have damaged 30 to 40 acres of crops, including chilli, cotton, and paddy. A detailed loss assessment will be conducted, and a report will be submitted to the government for necessary action.

Due to the inaccessibility of the terrain for vehicles, the collector and other officials used motorcycles to inspect areas deep within the forest where trees had fallen.

DFO Naveen Reddy confirmed that the tornado’s impact destroyed about 7 to 8 hectares of forest land, with an estimated 300 to 400 trees either uprooted or broken. He said a preliminary report assessing the value of the damaged trees would also be submitted to the government.

The collector directed agriculture department officials to conduct a primary survey to quickly assess crop damage and submit reports, and instructed the DFO to count the damaged trees and take immediate steps to restore the forest by undertaking new plantation work in the affected areas.

Caption for Photo-4a & 4b of Puli file-4: District collector Rahul Sharma, along with district forest officer M. Naveen Reddy and agriculture department officials, inspects fields where cotton, chilli, and paddy crops were destroyed by a massive tornado-like waterspout that struck the forests of Lenkalagadda village in Palimela mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, on Thursday.

Caption for Photo-4c, 4d, 4e & 4f of Puli file-4 : District collector Rahul Sharma, along with district forest officer M. Naveen Reddy and other officials, inspects the forests of Lenkalagadda village in Palimela mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, on Thursday.