Cyclone Montha | Ministers Ponam and Tumala assured assistance to farmers who suffered losses

Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Tummala Nageswara Rao visited the cyclone-affected areas of Husnabad and Khammam on Thursday to assess the damage caused by the Montha cyclone.

The combined districts of Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam were the worst affected by the impact of the cyclone. Standing crops covering thousands of hectares were destroyed and extensive damage was reported to roads, culverts and bridges, severely affecting connectivity and transport in several rural areas.

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has said unprecedented rains wreaked havoc in the Husnabad Assembly constituency on Wednesday, causing widespread damage to crops and roads, leaving three feared dead.

The minister visited the rain-affected areas, including Chigurumamidi, Indurthi and Saidapur, on Thursday to take stock of the situation.

CM air survey today

After visiting the rain-affected market area in Husnabad, the minister said the Center should declare the devastation caused by unprecedented rainfall in the state as a natural disaster and provide assistance to the state government to alleviate the misery of the rain-affected people. The extent of rain devastation is widespread, he said, adding that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will conduct an aerial survey of the rain/flood affected areas in Husnabad constituency limits on Friday.

Moved by the plight of Veeravva, who on Wednesday lost her entire paddy stock washed away due to heavy rain at the Husnabad market area, the minister handed over Rs 10,000 as immediate relief to the distressed farmer. He said the soaked paddy fields will be purchased and compensation will be given to the rain-affected farmers.

About 90 families from low-lying areas along the banks of the Munneru river in Khammam town were shifted to relief camps on Thursday after the river reached 25 feet, the third flood alert level, at Kalvaoddu in Khammam.

The water level in Munneru rose suddenly due to heavy rainfall in the upstream parts of the river in erstwhile composite Warangal district in the last 24 hours. All streams in the river’s catchment area were in turmoil due to incessant rainfall caused by Cyclone Montha. Flood water entered some residential colonies close to the river floodplains on Thursday morning.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao visited the relief camps at Nayabazar School. He said the Munneru River crossed the 25 feet mark earlier in the day following the cyclone-induced heavy rains in its catchments on Wednesday. The water level in the river is gradually declining, he noted, adding that food and drinking water were being provided to the flood-affected families in the relief camps.

The crop damage will be calculated to provide compensation of ₹10,000 per hectare to the farmers affected by the heavy rains. Efforts are on to procure the soaked rice, he added