Amaravati, November 2026: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday visited cyclone-affected areas in Guntur and Bapatla districts to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Murasu and assured farmers and other affected residents that the state government would extend all possible assistance to help them recover from their losses.
During his field inspection, the Chief Minister examined agricultural lands submerged under floodwaters and crops damaged by heavy rains and strong winds. He said a comprehensive assessment of the destruction caused by the cyclones was underway and assured that the government would continue its relief efforts until every eligible affected person received assistance.
Naidu said crop insurance and government input subsidies would provide some financial relief to farmers by compensating for a portion of their investments lost due to the natural calamity.
During his visit to Bapatla district, the Chief Minister walked from Jillellamudi to Returu village to understand the ground situation and interact directly with affected farmers. He held discussions with farmers, government officials and public representatives at several locations, seeking details about the extent of agricultural damage and the difficulties faced by the farming community.
Walking along irrigation canal embankments and field channels, Naidu inspected extensive stretches of submerged paddy fields. He asked farmers about the expenditure incurred on cultivation, their expected yields and the estimated financial losses resulting from the cyclone.
At the Jillellamudi bridge, he examined the intensity of the floodwaters. Farmers and officials explained how the sudden rise in the water level of the stream had inundated surrounding agricultural lands and nearby areas.
In Returu village, the Chief Minister personally walked through waterlogged agricultural fields and listened to farmers recount their difficulties. Several farmers said they had cultivated paddy after receiving irrigation water through the Pattiseema project and were expecting a good harvest. However, the cyclone struck just as their crops were approaching maturity, causing extensive damage and threatening their livelihoods.
Naidu enquired about the investments made by farmers and whether they had enrolled in crop insurance schemes. He emphasised that crop insurance and government input subsidies were important safeguards for the agricultural community during natural disasters.
He directed officials to intensify awareness campaigns about crop insurance and ensure that more farmers were covered under the schemes. He also called for advance planning to provide irrigation water before the regular cultivation season so that farmers could begin sowing early and reduce their exposure to cyclone-related risks.
The Chief Minister said completion of the Polavaram irrigation project would create additional opportunities for early-season cultivation, helping farmers plan their agricultural activities more effectively.
Addressing residents in Returu, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh had suffered considerable damage due to successive cyclones. He expressed concern that the natural disasters had struck at a particularly critical stage, when several crops were nearing harvest, resulting in substantial losses for farmers.
He pointed out that the farming community had already faced challenges due to the effects of El Nino. Despite these difficulties, farmers had managed to raise crops with the help of irrigation water supplied through the Pattiseema project. The latest cyclone, however, had dealt another major blow to their efforts.
The Chief Minister said timely preparedness measures undertaken by the state government had helped minimise the potential damage. Nevertheless, Guntur, Bapatla and Prakasam districts had experienced particularly severe impacts.
Urging people to take weather alerts seriously, Naidu advised residents not to ignore cyclone warnings and to remain vigilant whenever official advisories were issued.
Reviewing the restoration of essential services, he said around 30,000 electricity poles damaged during one cyclone had already been restored. Another 10,000 poles were subsequently damaged by a second cyclone, and repair work was being undertaken on a priority basis.
He added that the government was making efforts to restore electricity supply to aquaculture ponds at the earliest to prevent further losses to the fisheries sector.
Naidu also revealed that the Andhra Pradesh government was seeking assistance from neighbouring states, including Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to strengthen cyclone relief and restoration operations.
The Chief Minister said the Central government had been kept informed about the extent of the damage and the ongoing relief measures. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also enquired about the situation in the cyclone-affected areas.
Reiterating his government's commitment, Naidu said relief and rehabilitation efforts would continue, with priority being given to affected farmers and vulnerable families.
