Chandrababu Continuously Reviews Cyclone Relief Operations

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu conducted continuous reviews of the severe cyclonic storm Arnab and its impact across the state, holding multiple teleconferences with district collectors even after midnight on Tuesday. He reviewed the situation again at 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday from his camp office and later held another teleconference from the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) centre at the state Secretariat. Officials reported that strong winds had uprooted trees and brought down electricity poles in several areas. The Chief Minister directed officials to remove fallen trees immediately, restore power once conditions became safe, and take precautions to prevent tanks, streams, canals and drains from overflowing. He also sought updates on the situation in individual districts and the progress of relief operations.

Addressing around 32,000 officials and field-level personnel through a large-scale teleconference, Naidu praised government staff for working throughout the night to protect people in cyclone-affected areas. He instructed officials to continue their efforts until normal conditions were restored, minimise loss of life and property, and provide reassurance to residents. He stressed the need to monitor minor irrigation tanks, prevent breaches in canals and water bodies, coordinate with irrigation associations, and alert people living in vulnerable locations. The Chief Minister also directed officials to keep National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams ready, ensure adequate food, drinking water and medical facilities at cyclone shelters, and allow evacuees to return home only after conditions had fully stabilised. He further ordered preliminary assessments of crop damage and measures to protect agricultural and horticultural fields from waterlogging.

At the RTGS centre, the Chief Minister reviewed rainfall data from the previous 24 hours, road clearance operations, and power restoration efforts. Officials said the fallen trees on National Highway 16 had been cleared and that roads in several areas were being restored. While conditions were gradually improving in most affected districts, Konaseema and West Godavari continued to require special attention. Naidu instructed the power distribution authorities to deploy additional staff and speed up electricity restoration in these districts. He also asked officials to clear all affected roads as quickly as possible and make effective use of the Manamitra app to receive and resolve public complaints. Emphasising the role of technology in disaster management, he urged officials at every level to analyse real-time information, coordinate their actions and make timely decisions to reduce damage.