Crops Damaged Across 30,000 Hectares in Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam. Following Cyclone Arnab, Andhra Pradesh is now facing extensive damage to various crops due to Cyclone Murasu. It is worth noting that Cyclone Arnab had already caused severe destruction in the state; this new calamity has struck even before the assessment of the previous damage could be completed.

Preliminary estimates indicate that 132 *mandals* (administrative units) across 15 districts in Andhra Pradesh have been severely affected by Cyclone Murasu. Thousands of people have had to seek shelter in safer locations, and both agricultural and horticultural crops have suffered significant damage.

Across the 15 affected districts, standing crops on more than 30,000 hectares of land have either been destroyed or severely damaged. Krishna, Bapatla, and Nandyal are among the districts most severely impacted. Paddy, cotton, and maize crops are expected to have sustained the heaviest damage.

Initial assessments suggest that crops covering 30,661 hectares have been affected, though the precise extent of the damage will only be determined following a field survey. The cyclone reached the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh between Nellore and Narmapur at 11:30 PM on November 2, unleashing widespread devastation.

Reports also indicate that the impact of Cyclone Murasu has extended to states such as Telangana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh—all of which are major paddy-producing regions.