Cyclone Montha | Ministers Ponnam, Tummala assure relief to farmers who suffered crop loss

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

The combined districts of Warangal, Karimnagar and Khammam bore the brunt of the cyclone’s impact. Existing crops were destroyed on thousands of acres, and extensive damage to roads, culverts, and bridges was reported; This has severely affected connectivity and transportation in many rural areas.

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said unprecedented rains on Wednesday wreaked havoc in Husnabad Assembly Constituency, causing widespread damage to crops and roads, and three people were feared dead.

The minister visited rain-ravaged districts like Chigurumamidi, Indurthi and Saidapur on Thursday to assess the situation.

CM weather survey today

Speaking after visiting the rain-ravaged market in Husnabad, the minister said the Center should declare the damage caused by unprecedented rains in the state as a natural disaster and assist the State government to alleviate the suffering of rain-affected people. He said that the extent of damage caused by rain was quite extensive and added that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would conduct an aerial survey of the rain/flood affected areas in Husnabad constituency limits on Friday.

Moved by the plight of Veeravva, who lost her entire paddy stock in heavy rain in Husnabad market on Wednesday, the minister distributed Rs 10,000 as immediate relief to the distressed farmer. He said that soaked paddy will be purchased and compensation will be paid to farmers affected by the rain.

Around 90 families from low-lying areas along Munneru river in Khammam town were shifted to relief camps after the river touched the third flood warning level of 25 feet at Kalvaoddu in Khammam on Thursday.

The water level in Munneru rose suddenly due to heavy rains in upstream areas in the once chaotic Warangal district in the last 24 hours. Due to the incessant rains triggered by Cyclone Montha, all streams in the river basin overflowed. Flood waters entered some settlements located near the floodplains of the river on Thursday morning.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao visited relief camps in Nayabazar school. He said the Munneru River crossed the 25-metre mark earlier in the day following cyclone-induced heavy downpour in the catchment areas on Wednesday. The water level in the river is gradually receding, he noted, adding that food and drinking water were provided to the flood-affected families in the relief camps.

Crop damages will be counted to provide compensation of ₹ 10,000 per acre to farmers affected by heavy rains. He added that efforts are continuing to procure soaked paddy.(Eom