Cyclone Arnab: Clear fallen trees within two hours, restore power once winds ease, Naidu tells officials

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to accelerate relief and restoration operations in areas affected by Cyclone Arnab and said all departments must work in close coordination to restore normalcy at the earliest.

The Chief Minister held a statewide teleconference on Wednesday (October 28, 2026) morning with around 32,000 personnel, including district Collectors and field-level staff, to assess the cyclone’s impact and review the measures being taken to minimise public inconvenience. He had reviewed the situation until 1.30 a.m. before convening the early-morning meeting.

During a separate review with senior officials, Mr. Naidu sought details of agricultural losses and directed the authorities to prepare preliminary estimates of crop damage. He also instructed officials to apprise the Centre of the measures being undertaken by the State government to tackle the cyclone’s impact.

Appreciating officials and field-level personnel for working through the night, the Chief Minister urged them to maintain the same dedication until the situation returned to normal. According to the information available at the time of the review, no loss of life had been reported. He attributed the outcome to the advance precautions taken by the administration and said the preventive efforts must be sustained.

Mr. Naidu directed officials to restore essential services and clear road obstructions on a priority basis. Fallen trees blocking roads must be removed and traffic restored within two hours and obstructions on national highways should be cleared immediately to ensure uninterrupted movement of vehicles.

Electricity supply disrupted in affected areas must be restored as soon as wind conditions subside and it is safe for restoration teams to resume work, he said.

The Chief Minister also asked officials to provide adequate food, drinking water and medical facilities at cyclone relief shelters. Officials were instructed to reassure residents that all necessary steps were being taken for their safety and to address problems reported from affected areas without delay.

He called for the effective use of the Mana Mitra system to identify and resolve ground-level issues brought to the government’s attention. Once a complaint is addressed, the complainant should be informed of the action taken, he said.

Mr. Naidu further directed officials to take preventive measures to stop water from entering agricultural fields and protect horticultural crops from damage. Authorities must remain vigilant against breaches in tanks and irrigation canals and undertake necessary protective measures.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were instructed to remain on standby to respond promptly to emergencies.

The Chief Minister said relief, restoration and rehabilitation operations must continue without interruption until normal conditions are restored across all cyclone-affected areas. He called on officials at every level to remain alert, respond swiftly to public grievances and ensure that essential services are restored at the earliest.