Andhra CM instructs officials to ensure immediate relief amid cyclone Montha

A comprehensive review of the relief and restoration operations undertaken in the wake of Cyclone Montha was conducted by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday through a teleconference held via the Real Time Governance System (RTGS). The meeting was attended by village and ward secretariat staff, along with district-level officials from cyclone-affected regions.

It was stated by the Chief Minister that the cyclone situation had been managed effectively over the past several days through coordinated efforts between various government wings. The collective work of secretariat staff, district administration, and field teams was commended for having minimized the damage caused by the storm.

Appreciation was expressed by Mr. Naidu to all personnel who had remained on duty during the crisis. He observed that the timely preventive steps and field-level coordination had ensured the protection of lives and infrastructure to a significant extent. The Chief Minister said that“Everyone has worked together as a team to protect the people. If the same dedication continues for the next two days, the affected families can be given complete relief,” during the teleconference.

It was further directed that officials must continue to work with urgency for the next two days to restore normalcy in affected districts. The Chief Minister emphasized that essential services such as electricity, water supply, and road connectivity should be reinstated without delay.

Instructions were also issued for ministers and senior officials to conduct field visits to cyclone-hit areas, interact with the public, and gather firsthand information about local difficulties. It was directed that the relief measures undertaken by the government be clearly explained to residents, while any unresolved grievances be recorded and acted upon.

Officials were instructed to assess the losses sustained across various departments and to compile a comprehensive damage report for submission to the Central Government. This report, it was said, would serve as the basis for seeking financial assistance and further support from the Centre.

According to official information released by the Andhra Pradesh Department of Information and Public Relations (I&PR), Cyclone Montha’s impact had been felt across Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema districts, where strong winds uprooted trees and disrupted power supply. Immediate clearance of fallen trees and debris was reported to have been undertaken by local staff, with restoration works being carried out continuously.

It was further indicated by the government that village and ward secretariat employees were serving as the first line of response in rural areas, ensuring that relief materials and assistance reached the affected people promptly. Local conditions were said to have been reported regularly to higher authorities through the RTGS platform.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that Cyclone Montha had crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kakinada late on October 28, with wind speeds ranging between 90 and 100 km per hour, gusting up to 110 km per hour. The system was reported to have weakened into a deep depression by early Wednesday morning.

In the teleconference, the Chief Minister observed that the most critical phase of the cyclone had passed and directed officials to focus on rehabilitation and restoration. It was stressed that government departments must function with coordination to bring the state back to normal conditions at the earliest.

As the cyclone weakened, reassurance was expressed that all essential services would soon be restored and that continued vigilance would be maintained until complete normalcy was achieved across the affected districts.