Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu appealed to people to stay safe indoors as Cyclone Arnab approaches. He said, “Residents of coastal villages, island settlements and flood-prone areas are being urged to move to cyclone shelters.” Officials shifted 84,396 people to 290 shelters as heavy rainfall hit North Andhra this morning.
Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu appealed to people to remain alert and follow the advisories issued by the government in view of the intensity of Cyclone Arnab. He said moderate to heavy rainfall was likely from Srikakulam to Krishna district, accompanied by strong winds in coastal areas. The government machinery was fully prepared to minimise the impact of the cyclone and prevent loss of life and property.
Despite being engaged in election-related work, the Chief Minister has been reviewing cyclone preparedness every hour with district collectors and officials, addressing media persons. Cyclone Arnab has been placed in the red category, but people need not panic. The cyclone is likely to affect the region from Srikakulam to Bapatla. The cyclone is likely to cross the coast near Yanam, close to Kakinada. Rainfall began in North Andhra this morning, and coastal areas are likely to receive rain tonight and tomorrow as well. Konaseema, Eluru, West Godavari, Manyam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Kakinada districts are likely to face a greater impact, with extremely heavy rainfall expected in some places.“Rainfall of up to 30 cm is possible in Srikakulam, 28 cm in West Godavari and 23 cm in Visakhapatnam. Several areas are likely to receive more than 10 cm of rainfall. Seawater may enter low-lying areas along the coast. Residents of coastal villages, island settlements and flood-prone areas are being urged to move to cyclone shelters,” he said.
Stating that safety of people is foremost priority, the Chief Minister said 290 shelters were set up and so far, 84,396 people have been shifted to these shelters. State- and district-level control rooms are functioning round the clock, and cyclone warning bulletins are being issued every hour. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Navy and Coast Guard have also been put on alert. More than 30,000 fishing boats have been brought back from the sea. In Gopalpur, 93 boats belonging to Andhra Pradesh, along with their crews, are safe. Nearly 5,000 pregnant women have already been shifted to Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres and nearby hospitals. Tankers and generators have been arranged to ensure the supply of safe drinking water. Around 8,400 personnel have been kept ready to respond immediately to power disruptions.
The Chief Minister said heavy rainfall may cause flooding in the Nagavali and Vamsadhara rivers in North Coastal Andhra, and necessary measures have been taken for the immediate restoration of tanks in the event of breaches.
Drones are being used to deliver food and medicines to inundated villages. Agricultural crops spread across 7.16 lakh hectares and horticultural crops covering 16 lakh hectares could be affected. Arrangements have also been made to ensure that food supplies reach children and lactating mothers through Anganwadi centres and that ration supplies are delivered. Technology is being used to assess the likely impact of cyclone and plan damage-mitigation measures, the Chief Minister added.