Amaravati, Oct 28: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking Central assistance in assessing the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab in Andhra Pradesh.

According to a press release, the Chief Minister, in his letter, highlighted damage to crops, houses, roads and electricity poles due to the cyclone’s severity and urged the Centre to dispatch assessment teams at the earliest to evaluate cyclone damage.

About 16 NDRF and 11 SDRF teams have been deployed across 14 districts for cyclone relief and rescue operations and more than 28,000 people shifted to rehabilitation centres in cyclone-affected areas. However, no loss of life has been reported so far, thanks to the government’s advance preparedness measures, Naidu stated.

Despite the storm's severity, the Chief Minister confirmed that prompt administrative preparedness averted any fatalities.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister further said that Konaseema, Kakinada, East Godavari, West Godavari, Anakapalli and Krishna districts have been severely affected by the cyclone. Control rooms and the State Emergency Operations Centre are functioning round the clock to manage the emergency.

The government is prioritising relief measures and restoration of electricity and drinking water supplies in affected areas, Naidu added.

The Chief Minister also noted that a comprehensive report on cyclone damage is to be submitted to the Centre after a detailed assessment and urged the Centre to continue support from NDRF and other central agencies for relief and rehabilitation operations.

Urging the Union Government to maintain continuous operational backing, Naidu appealed to Amit Shah to send a Central team at the earliest to assess the damage, the release stated.

The Chief Minister also expressed appreciation, thanking the Central Government for its continued support to Andhra Pradesh.

Earlier in the day, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu conducted a teleconference on Wednesday with around 32,000 personnel, ranging from district collectors to field-level staff, to review the impact of Cyclone Arnab and the relief and restoration measures being undertaken across the state.

The Chief Minister also held a special review with senior officials and enquired about crop damage and directed officials to prepare preliminary estimates. He reviewed the cyclone impact till 1.30 am and conducted a teleconference at 6.30 am on Wednesday.

According to the press release, the CM instructed the authorities to brief the Centre on the measures being taken by the state government to address the cyclone's impact. Appreciating officials and field-level personnel for working throughout the night to minimise public inconvenience, the Chief Minister urged them to continue their efforts with the same commitment until the cyclone's impact subsides and normal conditions are restored.

Trees fallen across roads must be cleared and traffic restored within the next two hours. Fallen trees on national highways must be removed in real time to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement, the release said.

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CM Naidu said that the electricity supply suspended in affected areas must be restored as soon as strong winds subside and conditions permit. Adequate food, drinking water and medical facilities must be ensured at cyclone shelters, and necessary measures must be taken to prevent water from entering agricultural fields and to protect horticultural crops from damage.

Strong preventive measures must be implemented to prevent breaches in tanks and irrigation canals, the CM added.