Cyclones Arnab and Murasu trigger ₹500 crore hit to Andhra Pradesh power sector

Cyclones Arnab and Murasu have inflicted more than ₹500 crore in losses on Andhra Pradesh's Energy Department, with Cyclone Murasu alone snapping over 7,500 electricity poles, Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar said. The minister toured the cyclone‑hit Addanki and Santhanuthalapadu constituencies in Prakasam district on Friday, noting extensive damage to lines, conductors and distribution transformers. Restoration work is proceeding on a war footing, with a target to restore power in all affected areas by Saturday evening. Power supply was fully restored in the Godavari districts by Thursday evening, and 70 % of the remaining cyclone‑struck zones had power back by Friday. Officials have been instructed to prioritise domestic connections first, followed by agricultural and aquaculture supplies. More than 3,000 electricity staff from Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have been deployed for the repairs. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu coordinated with his counterparts in the three states to mobilise additional manpower and equipment. Minister Ravi Kumar met Karnataka personnel from Ballari at Alavalapadu and teams from Nidamanuru. During visits to J. Panguluru, Korisapadu and Naguluppalapadu mandals, he inspected damaged mango orchards, nurseries, houses, cattle sheds and power infrastructure. Crops such as maize, banana, papaya, amla and mango suffered damage, while tobacco crops and curing barns were hit in parts of Santhanuthalapadu, Addanki and Ongole. He urged the District Collector and Agriculture Department officials to complete a speedy and transparent assessment of crop losses.

Context

Cyclones regularly batter Andhra Pradesh’s coastal belt, often tearing down power poles and agricultural produce, which pushes the state’s disaster‑relief and repair budgets into the hundreds of crores.