The unseasonal heavy rainfall, accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms, killed 10 people across Andhra Pradesh besides extensively damaging agriculture in 2,224 hectares and horticulture in 138 acres since Sunday, officials told chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday.
At a review meeting conducted by Naidu on the unseasonal rains that wreaked havoc in different parts of the state, the officials informed him that 10 people died due to rain-related incidents, including four in Tirupati district, two each in Bapatla and Prakasam districts and one each in Eluru and Nellore district.
“Nine of them died when they were struck by lightning, while one person died due to the fall of a tree trunk,” the officials said.
The heavy rains that began at 8.30 am on Sunday morning, continued till the early hours of Monday. According to the IMD data, the highest rainfall was recorded in Kajuluru village in Kakinada district, which received 100 mm of rain.
This is followed by 94.5 mm rainfall in Chollangipeta (Tallarevu mandal), 75.5 mm in Karapa, 66.75 mm in Kakinada town (all in Kakinada district), 65.5 mm each in Amalapuram (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district) and Paidimetta (East Godavari district), 65.25 mm in Nidamarru (Eluru district), and 64.75 mm in Dharmajigudem (West Godavari district).
Heavy rainfall was also witnessed in the undivided districts of Chittoor, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts.
The officials told the chief minister during the review meeting that paddy and maize crops were damaged across 2,224 hectares. The worst-affected districts include West Godavari (1,033 ha in 15 mandals), Nandyal (641 ha), Kakinada (530 ha), and Sri Sathya Sai (20 ha).
Horticulture officials reported that banana, papaya, and mango crops were particularly affected, with total damage across 138 hectare in several districts including Krishna, Eluru, Kakinada, NTR, Tirupati, Nandyal, and West Godavari.
Naidu directed officials to ensure that compensation was disbursed to farmers who suffered crop losses due to unseasonal rains by Tuesday evening. He emphasised that the crop damage assessment must be completed immediately and every affected farmer must receive government compensation without delay.
“Ensure that compensation is disbursed to farmers who suffered crop losses due to unseasonal rains by tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. The crop damage assessment must be completed immediately, and every affected farmer must receive government compensation without delay,” said Naidu in an official release.
The chief minister said as further rainfall was predicted in several districts, collectors and officials should alert the public and take precautionary measures to avoid casualties. He urged officials to act with a humanitarian approach during times of disaster.
“If mobile alerts fail to reach people during lightning strikes, officials should personally visit and warn nearby communities. He instructed that staff at village secretariats be prepared accordingly,” he said.
He also ordered that compensation for livestock deaths due to lightning be released immediately, as per norms, and suggested that collectors coordinate with grassroots-level officials based on local conditions.
Special secretary of civil supplies Saurabh Gaur told the chief minister that the paddy procurement target during the Rabi season was 2 million metric tonnes, of which 1.3 million metric tonnes had already been procured. Steps are being taken to procure discoloured paddy due to rains, he said.
Naidu stressed that all paddy from farmers must be procured without exception, even if the harvest exceeds estimates. He assured that, if needed, the government would coordinate with the Centre to handle surplus procurement. “No farmer should be left saying their paddy wasn’t purchased,” he insisted.