A seven-member inter-ministerial central team led by Chittaranjan Dash, Joint Secretary in the Union Home Ministry, will assess the damage from Cyclone Arnab, which made landfall near Narsapur on October 28. AP State Disaster Management Authority MD Prakhar Jain announced the visit on Friday.
Schedule
- Saturday, Oct 31: briefing at the RTGS centre; one group to Konaseema, the other to East Godavari.
- Sunday, Nov 1: Kakinada and West Godavari.
- Monday, Nov 2, evening: meeting with CM Chandrababu Naidu.
- A separate 10-member drought team will visit Sri Sathya Sai, Anantapur, Kurnool and Nandyal on Nov 2–3. For Kharif 2026, 283 mandals are under severe drought and 105 under moderate drought.
Damage and relief
Naidu toured Kothanavarasapuram and Matrevu villages in West Godavari on Friday. He said seven people died and each bereaved family will get ₹5 lakh. Over 15,000 power poles fell, and 12,500 trees were uprooted in West Godavari alone. He said a preliminary loss estimate of ₹4,600 crore has been sent to the Centre and may rise. Families leaving relief camps get 25 kg of rice and essentials, and farmers get ₹1,500 for each damaged coconut or oil palm tree.
Both sides
YSRCP leader and former minister Kurasala Kannababu asked why ministers were not sent to affected areas despite early warnings, and criticised the rule that farmers upload crop-damage photos through an app. He demanded a timeline for compensation and relief for tenant farmers, fishermen and aqua farmers. TDP MP Bharat Mathukumilli said the response showed how far the state has come since Cyclone Hudhud in 2014. Naidu said, "Our objective is to ensure justice and assistance to every last person affected by the cyclone."
