Cyclone-hit Tirupati, Nellore districts moving back to normalcy

Tirupati: Two days after the severe cyclone Michaung made landfall near Bapatla coast, signs of recovery are becoming evident in Tirupati and Nellore districts.

On Thursday, people started emerging from their homes. Deserted roads began to bustle with individuals resuming their daily activities.

Fishermen, who had safely anchored their boats prior to the cyclone, returned to sea with improvement in the weather. Tourist arrivals are gradually picking up at popular spots like Tirumala, Tirupati and surrounding religious places, and beach destinations like Mypadu and Thupilipalem. Traders are reopening their shops and establishments. Hoteliers are back in business. Horse owners are seen training their animals at tourist spots.

District administrations are continuing their efforts to restore normalcy over the past three days. 97 km of R&B and 87 km of panchayat raj roads have been extensively damaged. While most highways and state roads are safer, the Kolkata-Chennai Grand Trunk Road experienced extensive damage in the Naidupeta-Tada section due to River Kalangi overflowing. Due to this, highway traffic remains disrupted, though police are regulating the traffic.

A senior police official said, “The highway along G.K. Engineering College and Sullurpet toll plaza has suffered significant damage, causing considerable inconvenience for commuters, who are navigating through the pothole-ridden road. Police, in collaboration with departments concerned, have placed sandbags on affected roads and filled the potholes, operationalising the highway to an extent.”

Simultaneously, engineering wings of roads and buildings, panchayat raj and civic bodies have initiated road repairs in urban and rural areas, particularly in Nellore, Tirupati, Indukurpeta, Vakadu, Manubole, Kota, Sullurpet, Gudur, and Satyavedu areas, which had been heavily hit by the cyclone.

Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (APSPDCL) crews are restoring electric poles and snapped power lines in Tirupati and Nellore districts. APSPDCL chairman and managing director K. Santhosh Rao said 11.53 lakh electricity services and 1.65 lakh agricultural services had got disrupted on Sunday and Monday.

As of Wednesday evening, 11.27 lakh electricity and 42,000 agricultural services have been restored. Rao stated, “As of Wednesday evening, power supply has resumed in seven towns and 1,132 villages of Nellore and Chittoor districts.”

He asked consumers to report any grievances via toll-free numbers 1912 or 1800 425 155333 or WhatsApp 91333 31912.