A day after Cyclone Montha made landfall, Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu on Wednesday said that although the storm’s intensity has significantly weakened, several districts continue to face power supply and transportation disruptions.
“While the severity of Cyclone Montha has subsided, power supply and transport disruptions still persist in several affected districts,” Atchannaidu said, while assuring that restoration work was underway on a war footing.
In Konaseema district, one of the worst-hit areas, over 300 electric poles were uprooted. The minister informed that 80 percent of the restoration work has already been completed, and remaining repairs would be finished within hours to fully restore electricity. Following directives from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, power restoration to every household is being fast-tracked, he added.
Atchannaidu further revealed that 54 substations were damaged in Konaseema, prompting the deployment of additional energy department teams from Ramachandrapuram, Rajamahendravaram, and Mummidivaram. He said fallen trees along 134 km of roads have been cleared, enabling full restoration of traffic, while APSRTC buses resumed 100 percent services from Wednesday.
To provide immediate relief, over 10,000 people have been accommodated in 400 relief camps across Konaseema district. The state government announced financial assistance of ₹3,000 for each affected family and ₹1,000 for individuals. Additionally, fishermen and weavers will receive 50 kg of rice each, with ration distribution beginning today, Atchannaidu said.
The minister also reported that around 20,000 acres of paddy and horticulture crops were damaged due to the cyclone’s impact. Special assessment teams have been formed to estimate agricultural losses. He added that the family of a woman who died in Mamidikuduru mandal will receive an ex-gratia of ₹5 lakh.
Meanwhile, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are continuing relief and restoration operations. Fallen trees have been cleared from Nizampatnam–Repalle, Machilipatnam–Manginapudi, and roads in Anakapalli and Machilipatnam regions, ensuring improved connectivity.
