Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said no casualties had been reported so far due to Cyclone Arnab, crediting advance precautionary measures taken by the administration.
During a teleconference with 32,000 personnel, including district collectors, Naidu directed officials to minimise property damage and restore normalcy in affected areas at the earliest.
He asked officials to clear roads blocked by fallen trees within two hours, restore power supply once strong winds subside and ensure adequate food, drinking water and medical facilities at relief camps.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to protect agricultural and horticultural crops, prevent breaches in tanks and canals, assess crop damage and keep National and State Disaster Response Force personnel on standby.
Meanwhile, Kakinada Superintendent of Police G Bindu Madhav said the cyclone had uprooted hundreds of trees and fewer than 100 electric poles in the district.
No major damage had been reported, and rainfall had subsided after 1 am, he said.
People evacuated to relief camps remained there as strong winds battered the district between midnight and 1 am, Madhav said.
The Uppada coastal road has been completely washed away, he added, noting that gusty winds, rather than heavy rainfall, had caused the main impact in the district.
(With inputs from PTI)