Southern Odisha is still dealing with floods and landslides caused by Cyclones Arnab and Murasu, which hit the Andhra Pradesh coast within six days of each other. Now a new weather system is expected to form over the Bay of Bengal around November 13.
According to the latest weather update, the system will move northwest and then become a well-marked low-pressure area within the next 24 hours. A low-pressure area does not always turn into a cyclone. That depends on sea and air conditions.
This comes right after Cyclone Arnab, which badly damaged crops and property in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Arnab made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28, and Murasu followed on November 3. Both brought heavy rain, thunderstorms and floods, mainly along the eastern coast.
Crops damaged on 4.61 lakh hectares
Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu held a teleconference on Tuesday, November 10, to review crop damage. Officials told him that the cyclones damaged farm crops on 4,61,194 hectares and garden crops on 29,960 hectares.
Officials said Cyclone Arnab alone hit 3,27,843 hectares of farmland in 15 districts. This is 30.05 percent of the total cultivated area of 10,90,933 hectares. About 5,23,136 farmers were affected, and the crop loss is estimated at 9,78,091 tonnes.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced a relief package for people hit by Cyclone Arnab. He has promised help for crop loss, damaged houses and rebuilding livelihoods.
Government sources say that in Ganjam and Kandhamal districts, heavy rain from Arnab affected at least 1.18 lakh people, destroyed over 75,000 hectares of farmland and damaged 1,672 houses.