AMARAVATI, Nov 5 — Cyclone Murasu killed eight people in Andhra Pradesh and caused an estimated loss of Rs 1,918.55 crore, according to a preliminary damage assessment by state officials reviewed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday. The figures are a major revision of the state's first estimate, released on November 3, which had put the toll at two deaths and losses at Rs 344 crore.
Source: Nation Press
This updates Awaaz Punjab's earlier report on the first official tally, when two deaths and Rs 344 crore in losses were reported on November 3. Read the earlier report: two killed, Rs 344 crore first estimate
Where the deaths and the worst damage were reported
Of the eight fatalities, five were reported from Bapatla district, two from Guntur district and one from Palnadu district, Nation Press reported, citing the state assessment. Horticultural crops suffered losses across 6,749 hectares, affecting a further 12,586 farmers, taking the combined crop area damaged to 1,49,871 hectares and the combined number of farmers affected to 1,98,649. A total of 983 houses, 346 boats and 220 fishing nets were also damaged.
Source: Nation Press / Cyclone Murasu official assessment summary
Naidu reviewed the post-cyclone situation department by department — Agriculture, Electricity, Municipal Administration and Panchayat Raj among them — and officials told him it would take 48 to 72 hours to gauge the full extent of crop losses accurately once floodwaters recede. The Chief Minister announced he would personally visit cyclone-affected areas on Friday to assess ground conditions. Murasu was the second consecutive cyclone to strike the state within a week, after Cyclone Arnab, compounding the strain on infrastructure and farming communities.
Source: Nation Press
Power, roads and telecom restoration
Electricity restoration was under way on a war footing: under the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation (APCPDCL), 871 of 1,103 affected 11 kV feeders had been restored, with 232 still pending, and 1,493 of 3,946 damaged electricity poles had been restored. The Roads and Buildings Department reported damage to 760.10 kilometres of major district roads and state highways, all 206 tree-fall locations had been cleared, and 74 rural roads spanning 204.14 kilometres were damaged under the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department, with restoration estimated at Rs 92.08 crore.
Source: Nation Press
Telecommunications had largely bounced back, with 30,518 of 31,428 towers operational — 97.1 per cent of services — though pending work remained in Bapatla, Prakasam and West Godavari districts. At the Prakasam Barrage, inflow and outflow were being maintained at 43,500 cusecs with 60 of 70 gates open. In all, 59 mandals and 649 gram panchayats were affected, and all 336 identified drainage blockages had been cleared.
Source: Nation Press
Relief operation and what happens next
Relief and rescue operations involved 11 State Disaster Response Force teams, 13 National Disaster Response Force teams and 390 fire personnel, and about 5.87 crore warning messages were sent to the public ahead of and during the storm. The state government has released Rs 37 crore to affected districts for immediate relief, and Naidu directed officials to prioritise restoring electricity, roads and drinking water, stressing that farmers and citizens must not face prolonged hardship.
Source: Nation Press
The assessment remains preliminary: officials say the final toll and loss figure are expected to firm up over the next few days as floodwaters recede and ground surveys are completed in the worst-hit zones. The state had earlier sought urgent central assistance after the back-to-back cyclones Arnab and Murasu; compensation details for the 1,86,063 affected farmers and a formal central relief decision are the next steps to watch.
Source: Nation Press