Cyclone Murasu: Naidu directs officials to complete restoration works within 48 hours

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to remain alert ahead of cyclone Murasu. The administration is preparing for heavy rainfall, possible power disruptions and flooding, with restoration teams and precautionary measures being mobilised across vulnerable districts

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday directed the administration to remain fully alert in view of cyclone Murasu, which is set to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast tonight.

The Chief Minister conducted a review meeting on cyclone preparedness with senior officials and district collectors at the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Centre in the Secretariat.

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He stressed the need for robust measures to prevent any loss of life or property.

Naidu asked officials to remain fully alert as moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in the South Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts. He stated that the impact of cyclone Murasu on the Andhra Pradesh coast was likely to be relatively limited. Forecasts indicated that wind speeds and rainfall intensity were also expected to be lower than those associated with cyclone Arnab, which crossed the coast last week.

The Chief Minister stated that normalcy had been restored to a large extent in areas affected by cyclone Arnab. He recalled that precautionary arrangements had been made from Srikakulam to Bapatla to tackle cyclone Arnab and directed officials to effectively manage the impact of cyclone Murasu as well.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that 31,000 electricity poles had been dispatched to the field from Srikakulam to Krishna district. They estimated that around 8,000 electricity poles in the South Coastal and Rayalaseema districts could be affected by winds associated with cyclone Murasu.

Another 1,000 personnel were arriving from Chennai to assist in power restoration work. Naidu directed officials to deploy them across various districts, including Nellore and Prakasam.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that Palnadu district was expected to receive the highest rainfall, at around 30 cm, followed by Prakasam with 24 cm and Markapuram with 19 cm. Krishna and Guntur districts could receive up to 9 cm of rainfall each. Eluru and Nellore were also likely to receive around 9 cm each.

The Chief Minister called for special attention to water management. He directed officials to fill tanks and reservoirs in Guntur, Bapatla, Palnadu, Prakasam, Nellore and Markapuram districts, which have been experiencing a rainfall deficit. He also instructed them to formulate an action plan to store water in reservoirs across the South Coastal and Rayalaseema basins.

Naidu directed officials to pay special attention to the safety of 6,800 tanks across the six districts likely to be affected by cyclone Murasu. He called for the activation of Water Users Associations and stressed the need to monitor the condition of tanks with public participation. He instructed officials to utilise the works undertaken under the Jaladhara programme and ensure that no tank breaches occurred. He also directed officials to take preventive measures to avoid crop inundation due to silt accumulation in drains.

The Chief Minister directed officials to complete post-cyclone restoration works within 48 hours. He also stressed the need to expedite the processes for crop insurance compensation and input subsidies.