Andhra Pradesh Government Works to Restore Normalcy After Cyclone Arnab

Amaravati, October 30 (Daily Kiran) : The Andhra Pradesh government is ramping up efforts to restore normalcy in areas affected by Cyclone Arnab. Officials reported on October 30 that various departments are actively working to restore electricity, transportation, and communication services.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed relief and recovery operations before visiting the impacted regions of West Godavari district. He was informed about the progress in restoring power, roads, and communication services, with assistance from neighboring states speeding up the process.

During a review of relief operations at the village level, the Chief Minister instructed officials to maintain full commitment until every affected individual receives help and all issues are resolved. His direct communication with field workers has ensured that the administration operates at full capacity.

As part of the recovery efforts, the Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited has restored electricity to 4,881 out of 5,404 villages that were without power. Of the 552 affected substations in the area, 513 have been reactivated, with approximately 93 percent of the work completed. There are still 39 substations awaiting restoration.

Electricity supply has been fully restored in all affected villages of Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, and Eluru districts. In the heavily impacted Konaseema region, power has been restored to 87 out of 316 villages, while 154 out of 318 villages in West Godavari have regained electricity. A total of 393 villages in these districts still await power restoration.

In Krishna district, electricity has been restored to 867 out of 915 affected villages. Progress has also been made in restoring mobile communication services, with 661 out of 1,045 affected mobile towers back online, leaving 384 still to be restored.

The Roads and Buildings Department has cleared 2,270 fallen trees from roadways, including 1,334 trees in Konaseema alone. Traffic has been restored at 119 out of 137 locations where it had been disrupted.

Officials noted that Cyclone Arnab has damaged a total of 2,425.45 kilometers of roads. The Water Resources Department has completed temporary repairs at 100 locations, including 78 affected ponds and 22 canals.

Agricultural crops on 352,254 hectares have been affected by flooding across 16 districts, with horticultural crops on 23,211 hectares also suffering damage. According to official reports, approximately 380 TMC of water fell in the state between October 26 and 29, and floodwaters continue to rise.

Efficient water management has allowed for the storage of an additional 4.68 TMC of water in reservoirs, with the potential to collect another 5 to 6 TMC.