Severe impact across 3,109 villages: Andhra Minister apprises Amit Shah of ₹6,352-crore loss from Cyclone Montha

New Delhi [India], December 2 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Ministers Nara Lokesh and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and submitted a comprehensive report on Cyclone Montha's destruction. The cyclone caused estimated losses of ₹6,352 crore and affected 3,109 villages.
They urged urgent Central assistance to support relief and restoration efforts after the cyclone battered large parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh in late October.
Lokesh briefed Shah on the state's relief efforts, including evacuating 1.92 lakh people to 2,471 relief camps and providing essential supplies. The state government took urgent measures to restore infrastructure and address disruptions.
He said that essential supplies, including food, drinking water, milk and other necessities, were provided, and each affected family received an immediate assistance amount of Rs 3,000. An emergency relief fund of Rs 60 crores was also released to kick-start restoration.
According to the detailed sector-wise assessment, the highest losses were reported in roads and infrastructure (Rs 4,324 crore), followed by permanent structures (Rs 1,302 crores) and agriculture and allied sectors (Rs 271 crore).
Damage to the power sector was pegged at Rs 41 crores, to water resources and irrigation projects at Rs 369 crores, to housing at Rs 7 crores, and to public assets at Rs 48 crores. Of the overall loss, around Rs 902 crore qualifies for immediate relief and temporary restoration under National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) norms.
Lokesh noted that a Central Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMCT) had already conducted a field inspection on November 12, following the state's preliminary submissions. The Andhra Pradesh delegation included several Members of Parliament, who urged the Centre to expedite support for rebuilding efforts in the cyclone-hit districts.
The ministers emphasised that while swift state action helped contain the impact, sustained assistance from the Centre is essential for comprehensive recovery and rehabilitation across the affected regions. (ANI)