Cyclone ‘Arnab’: People living in thatched houses shifted to relief camp to prevent loss of life in Konaseema

With the very severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’ hurtling towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, the authorities have designated 307 buildings, including schools and cyclone shelters, as relief camps to accommodate the people in the vulnerable areas along the coastal belt of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.

“Every family that lives in a thatched house is being shifted to safety. The evacuation drive is in progress and people living in the thatched houses are being identified,” Dr. B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema Joint Collector Vaikhom Nydia told The Hindu.

The thatched houses are prone to damage due to heavy winds during the cyclone.

‘Arnab’ is expected to make landfall near Yanam on Wednesday. Yanam, a town under the Pondicherry Union Territory, is bordered by Kakinada and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema districts.

In Kakinada district headquarters, all the commercial establishments, including shopping complexes, markets and cinema theatres, were closed by 6 p.m. and people have been advised to remain indoor.

The Uppada-Kakinada road along the 10-km-long shoreline has been closed for vehicles owing to heavy wind.