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Amaravati/New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh ministers Nara Lokesh and V. Anitha on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to seek the Centre's help for the state, which suffered Rs 6,352 crore losses due to cyclone Montha.

Education, IT & Electronics Minister Lokesh and Home Minister Anitha had separate meetings with the two Union ministers in New Delhi, and submitted a comprehensive report detailing the destruction caused by Cyclone Montha in October.

Lokesh informed the Union Home Minister that the state suffered an estimated Rs 6,352 crore in losses after the cyclone made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast.

During the meeting, the ministers said the cyclone inflicted severe damage across multiple sectors, causing significant hardship to residents in the affected regions. A total of 3,109 villages were impacted.

According to the assessment, agriculture & allied sectors suffered losses of Rs 271 crore, Roads & Infrastructure Rs 4,324 crore, permanent structures Rs 1,302 crore, water resources & irrigation projects Rs 369 crore, public assets Rs 48 crore, power sector Rs 41 crore, and housing Rs 7 crore.

Amit Shah was told that of the total damage estimate, around Rs 902 crore qualifies for immediate relief and temporary restoration under NDRF guidelines.

Lokesh also noted that a Central Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMCT) had conducted a field inspection on November 12, following the state's preliminary submissions.

Cyclone Montha crossed the coast near Kakinada on the night of October 28, bringing heavy rainfall and winds reaching 100 kmph, resulting in widespread destruction. Acting swiftly, the state government evacuated 1.92 lakh people to 2,471 relief camps, where essential supplies, including food, drinking water, milk and other necessities were provided. Each affected family received an immediate relief payment of Rs 3,000.

The state administration undertook urgent measures such as clearing fallen trees, restoring water supply, arranging temporary shelters and addressing critical infrastructure disruptions. An initial emergency relief fund of Rs 60 crore was released.

The state ministers also met Agriculture Minister Chouhan and briefed him on the extensive agricultural devastation caused by the cyclone.

The ministers said the cyclone, which struck on October 28 and 29, brought fierce winds, torrential rainfall and flooding that severely affected villages, farmlands and rural livelihoods across the state.

According to the state’s preliminary assessment, the cyclone impacted 3,109 villages across 443 mandals in 24 districts, leaving nearly 9.53 lakh people facing various levels of disruption. The combination of submerged farmlands, overflowing rivers and high tidal activity led to widespread destruction of agricultural assets, civic infrastructure and public services.

Lokesh informed the Union Minister that continuous rainfall and prolonged waterlogging in the coastal and delta regions caused extensive damage to standing crops. Roughly 1.61 lakh hectares of agricultural land—including paddy, maize, cotton, groundnut, red gram and various millets were damaged.

An estimated 3.27 lakh farmers have been affected, while overall crop losses are pegged at 4.36 lakh metric tonnes.

In addition to crop losses, key agricultural infrastructure such as tanks, canals and bund roads suffered significant damage, disrupting irrigation and access to farmlands.

The ministers further apprised the Union Minister that the horticulture sector too bore the brunt of the cyclone. Around 6,250 hectares, over 33 per cent of the horticulture area, under banana, papaya, coconut, turmeric, chillies, vegetables, flowers, and other crops were severely damaged.

Support structures in plantations collapsed due to the impact of the storm, posing long-term livelihood challenges for farmers. Related infrastructure, including nurseries, shade nets, farm ponds, storage units and minor irrigation systems, also sustained serious damage.

--IANS

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