Cyclone kills six, causes heavy crop damage in Andhra

One fishermen was killed and extensive damage was caused in Yanam region, an enclave of this union territory in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, by the cyclonic storm Helen, officials said today.

Malladi Veerababu drowned when he was trying to lift the boat berthed on a river bank, official sources said.

District Collector from Puducherry S B Deepak Kumar accompanied by officials of the Agriculture and Fisheries Departments visited the cyclone hit Yanam region today and reviewed the situation.

He also made an assessment damage caused to agriculture, power and fisheries sectors by the cyclone that crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast yesterday.

Regional Administrator of Yanam R Ganesan said that standing paddy crop in more than 285 hectares was damaged and as many 485 fishing boats including mechanised vessels were totally lost in the cyclone.

Puducherry Government has assessed that the loss would be around Rs five crores.

Electrical posts were blown off in different places resulting in total power failure in Yanam during the last two days although restoration work was done on war footing now.

People from six coastal villages were evacuated and accommodated in six cyclone shelters in the region and food packets distributed to them.