KAKINADA: Kakinada District Collector Shan Mohan Sagili has directed officials to immediately distribute essential commodities to residents in Montha cyclone-affected areas and begin a comprehensive damage assessment.
Holding a Zoom conference from the Collector’s bungalow with officials from the Revenue, Agriculture, Fisheries, Civil Supplies, and Handloom departments, the Collector reviewed relief measures and the provision of financial assistance to families in rehabilitation centres.
He instructed officials to ensure free and prompt distribution of essential commodities to all affected families. As per government orders, each family staying in rehabilitation centres will receive Rs 3,000 in financial aid, along with 25 kg of rice, 1 kg of lentils, 1 litre of cooking oil, and 1 kg each of onions, potatoes, and sugar.
The Collector also ordered field-level inspections and immediate preparation of reports on cyclone-related damage. Emphasising continued caution, he advised residents to remain vigilant as Montha’s impact may persist for another day and urged them to stay indoors and prioritise safety.
Fisherman drowns at sea
A 21-year-old fisherman, Gaddepalli Sairam of Dummulapeta, drowned in the sea near the Kumbhabhishekam Temple in Kakinada on Monday. The NDRF team and local fishermen launched a search operation, but he remains missing.
According to Coastal Security Police, Sairam and six others had brought their boats ashore due to Cyclone Montha. While moving toward another vessel, Sairam and two others jumped into the water to remove an anchor. The others managed to climb onto the second boat, but Sairam failed to resurface.
MLC Karri Padmasri and Kakinada City MLA Vanamadi Venkateswara Rao visited the fishing yard to review the situation.
Though the spot is not deep, Sairam—known as a strong swimmer—vanished suddenly, leading locals to suspect he may have been trapped in underwater mud. Fishermen have been combing the area using large nets and boats where he was last seen. Sairam is survived by his wife, one-year-old son, parents, and three sisters. Grief has engulfed the Dummulapeta fishing community.
