Cyclone Murasu caused a preliminary loss of Rs 2,484.43 crore across Andhra Pradesh, an Inter-Ministerial Central Team reported today. The storm hit 106 mandals, damaging 1.43 lakh hectares of crops and displacing many people. Officials used relief camps to help those affected while teams worked to restore power and roads.
VIJAYAWADA: Cyclone Murasu has caused a preliminary estimated loss of Rs 2,484.43 crore across Andhra Pradesh, heavily impacting 106 mandals across districts such as Prakasam, Bapatla, Guntur, Krishna, NTR, West Godavari, and Eluru, where over 31,000 people were displaced into 536 relief camps, and 1.43 lakh hectares of crops were damaged.
The estimated loss was disclosed during a review meeting held today after extensive field visits by the eight-member Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) led by Union MHA Joint Secretary Chittaranjan Das.
During the review at the APSDMA office with Managing Director and RTGS CEO Prakhar Jain, the central team evaluated extensive sectoral damages, which include Rs 889 crore for Roads and Buildings, Rs 875 crore for Agriculture, Rs 337 crore for Horticulture, Rs 136 crore for Water Resources, Rs 119 crore for Panchayat Raj Engineering, and Rs 54 crore for the Energy department.
Elaborating on the disaster response, officials briefed the central delegation that the storm affected 315 villages and 746 urban local body areas, displacing 193,769 individuals in total and requiring the establishment of 536 relief camps to shelter 31,080 people.
Proactive measures prior to landfall included shifting 3,066 pregnant women to hospitals, organising 253 medical health camps, and restraining 12,967 fishing boats from venturing into the sea across eight coastal districts.
Furthermore, 13 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 11 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were deployed, while emergency grievances handled via the ‘Mana Mitra’ WhatsApp service and toll-free lines ensured immediate clearance of uprooted trees and downed power lines.
While reviewing the crisis response, Joint Secretary Chittaranjan Das commended the state administration for swift rescue and restoration operations, highlighting the rapid recovery of power supply, mobile connectivity, and roads within just two days to restore normalcy and economic activity.
He also lauded the spirit of cooperative federalism, emphasising the vital role of central and state inter-agency coordination during major natural disasters.
Following the review and comprehensive field inspections conducted across Bapatla and Eluru districts—with additional site visits scheduled for Palnadu and East Godavari districts—the central team will finalise and submit a detailed assessment report to the Union government.