AT LEAST two persons were killed on Tuesday in the severe cyclonic storm Murasu that wreaked havoc in Andhra Pradesh, destroying standing crops in over 52,000 hectares, damaging over 300 dwellings and power transmission lines, officials said. The cyclone, the second to hit the State within a week, made landfall in the early hours on Tuesday and brought standing crops in 15 districts under water, with Krishna, Bapatla and Nandyala districts being the most affected. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was witnessed in several areas ahead of the landfall. Thousands of trees were uprooted, and a total of 2,750 electricity poles were damaged. Power transmission lines, substations and critical distribution equipment have been damaged due to strong winds and heavy rainfall, officials said, adding that the impact was high in Prakasam and Bapatla districts. At least two people died in cyclone-related incidents in the state, and 12,230 people continue to remain in cyclone shelters, Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), Prakhar Jain told PTI.

 

As per preliminary estimates, Jain said, “The cyclone has inflicted a loss of at least Rs 344 crore to the southern state, affecting 52,459 hectares of crops.” As many as 312 houses were affected by the cyclone, and the government is monitoring 814 minor irrigation tanks and has put 776 of them on alert, Jain added. ODISHA EXPERIENCES LIGHT RAIN:ODISHA’S southern districts witnessed light rainfall as severe cyclonic storm Murasu hit the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, even as the State Government asked all District Collectors in the region to remain prepared to handle any adverse weather conditions, a Minister said. Odisha’s Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari told PTI that district collectors of Koraput, Malkangiri, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and several others have reported light rainfall. SHAH ASSURES ALL CENTRAL HELP TO ANDHRA PRADESH:Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday spoke with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and offered all possible Central assistance in the wake of Cyclone Murasu.