Montha has left a trail of devastation across Eluru and West Godavari districts, flattening vast stretches of ready-to-harvest paddy and inundating low-lying villages.
In Pedapallaparru of Mudinepalli mandal, farmers who had cultivated early-yielding paddy varieties are staring at ruin as their crops lie submerged and rotting. “The crop was just days away from harvest. Everything we invested — seed, fertilizer, labour — is gone,” lamented farmer K Nageswara Rao, pointing to waterlogged fields where lush green stalks had turned brown. Continuous rains and gale winds uprooted plants, rendering fields unfit for harvest.
Damage is especially severe in low-lying areas where floodwaters have stagnated, leaving little hope of recovery.
Farmers said they are now burdened with mounting debts after taking loans for cultivation. They urged to the govt to conduct urgent crop loss assessments and extend compensation under disaster relief provisions. Many urged that crop insurance claims be processed without delay. Agricultural officers have begun preliminary inspections, and reports are being prepared for submission to the district administration.
Meanwhile, West Godavari collector Chadalavada Nagarani led a series of field inspections across cyclone-hit areas, bringing much-needed reassurance to displaced families. She visited multiple relief camps, interacted with evacuees, and joined them for lunch to check food quality in Narasapuram and Mogalthuru mandals. “The same food served to you is what I will eat. The govt stands with you always,” she told them — words that drew applause and comfort from hundreds of victims.
She verified sanitation, water supply, and medical facilities, instructing officials to resolve issues immediately.
Later, Nagarani visited camps at the BC welfare school in Vemuladevi and the cyclone shelter at KP Palem, Mogalthuru, enquiring about health risks such as snakebites and viral fevers. “Once you return home, please drink boiled water and maintain cleanliness,” she advised, stressing preventive care.
At Peddamainavani Lanka, the collector reviewed progress on the vital sea erosion protection wall, calling it “a wall of protection for our people.” She also inspected damage to roads and aquaculture farms, assuring fishermen and shrimp growers of support. Commending the NDRF and local teams, she lauded their tireless relief operations and coordination. RDO Dasiraju, Tahsildars Aitam Satyanarayana, Raj Kishore, and District Fire Officer B.