Cyclone storms hit power and mobile networks across districts

Mobile Services Hit

Severe storm winds damaged mobile towers and cut power supplies, knocking out phone networks across many areas. Poor signals and broken cables left users unable to talk properly or use the internet, while internet centers and MeeSeva offices shut down. In Pedamallam near Achanta, a BSNL tower collapsed on Tuesday night, and private towers broke down in Palakollu, Bhimavaram, Narsapuram, Mogalturu, and Vasavi Penugonda. Town and rural areas lost about seventy percent of network signals, and servers had to stop working as electricity stayed off for two days.

Generator Demand Soars

Extended power cuts pushed up the demand for diesel generators for apartments, large buildings, and local businesses. Traders brought in dozens of generators from neighboring districts to make up for shortages in the Achanta, Palakollu, and Narsapuram assembly segments. Rent for a generator reached up to fifteen hundred rupees a day, alongside three thousand rupees for diesel and one thousand rupees for the operator, totaling five thousand rupees daily.

Power Restoration Work

State Energy Minister and district in-charge minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar stated that authorities aim to restore the power system within twenty-four hours due to the impact of the Arnab cyclone. The storm caused five hundred crore rupees in damage to the power grid. Seventeen hundred local workers joined the repair work, backed by five hundred extra workers from three state discoms and another five hundred staff brought in from Telangana. Officials identified that thirty-seven hundred poles suffered damage across the district, affecting about seventeen thousand aquaculture connections, while alternative arrangements were made for drinking water.

Context

Severe cyclonic weather events frequently disrupt essential public utilities like power grids and telecommunications across coastal regions in India. Restoring electricity and communication links quickly is critical for public safety and relief work following such storms.