Cyclone Nivar: Rains wreak havoc in Andhra Pradesh, at least two dead

Almost 48 hours after its landfall near Puducherry, south coastal and Rayalaseema districts of Andhra Pradesh are still reeling under the effect of Cyclone Nivar.

The widespread rains caused by the cyclonic system have wreaked havoc in Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa and Kurnool districts.

At least two people have died in the rain related incidents.

Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy would make an aerial survey of the affected areas on Saturday.

The heavy rains resulted in 188 per cent excess rainfall. Over 10,000 people are taking shelter in 147 relief camps, CMO officials said.

Agriculture minister K Kannababu informed that people in the relief camps would be handed Rs 500 each while returning home.

Water bodies in these districts are filled to the brim and police, irrigation, and revenue departments are kept on high alert till Saturday.

Gushing rivers, streams have cut off hundreds of villages from the outside world. Several colonies were inundated in Ongole, Kadapa etc towns.

Besides power line disruptions due to electricity pole damages, about 180 km of roads were damaged. At-least 673 houses were damaged, as per the initial reports.

Preliminary estimates, as per the CMO, showed crop loss in about 30,000 hectares of Chittoor, Nellore, YSR Kadapa and Prakasam districts. Paddy (16,290 hectares) followed by black-gram (7,362), cotton (3,571) and other crops (2,529 hectares) were damaged due the rains triggered by Nivar cyclone, officials said.

However, later in the evening, Kurnool collector G Veerapandian, said that agriculture crops were estimated as damaged in 15,788 hectares in the district alone.

The AP cabinet which met on Friday under the chairmanship of Reddy decided that the enumeration of crop loss should be completed by December 15 “so that compensation could be paid by December 31.”

There would be an 80 per cent subsidy on seeds to farmers in the affected areas. Compensation with regard to loss of human life and damage to property would be paid as per the guidelines.