AP: Chandrababu Naidu urges PM Modi to declare cyclone Michaung a "national disaster"
Dec 10, 2023
Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 10 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Chief and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Chandrababu Naidu wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to declare cyclone "Michaung" as a national disaster.
Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday informed PM Modi that cyclone Michaung has damaged crops of 22 lakh acres, amounting to a staggering Rs 10,000 crore as per preliminary assessments.
In his letter, the former CM mentioned significant losses in cattle, livestock, and trees due to cyclone Michaung. Describing the impact on infrastructure as alarming, he reported approximately 770 km of roads were damaged and critical facilities such as drinking water, irrigation, electricity, and communication suffered heavy impairment.
Naidu stated that the agricultural and fishing sectors have been adversely impacted by the cyclone. Shedding light on the alarming situation of the farmers, the TDP Chief mentioned that the devastation has led to four farmers tragically taking their lives due to crop loss, and fishing communities have lost boats, nets, and their means of livelihood.
Cyclone Michaung, marked by winds reaching speeds of up to 100 km/h, has caused widespread devastation, claiming six lives and bringing life and livelihoods to a standstill across 15 districts in the state. The impact of the cyclone was not only confined to Andhra Pradesh alone but has also affected neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Naidu earnestly requested that PM Modi declare cyclone Michaung as a 'national disaster.' To comprehensively address the situation, the former CM also requested the PM to dispatch a team from the Government of India to assess and estimate the extent of the damage inflicted.
He expressed that declaring cyclone Michaung a national disaster will provide the necessary impetus for both immediate relief efforts and the establishment of resilient long-term infrastructure.
He further revealed that such a declaration will instill confidence among the victims, signalling a united front against the challenges posed by this calamity.
