Paddy fields on at least 50,000 hectares were damaged in nine coastal mandals, including Avanigadda and Machilipatnam, which were the worst affected by heavy rain and gales that lashed the Krishna district in the last couple of days.
“The damage is likely to be more than what was initially estimated. The harvesting of paddy will start earlier than mid-December”, Secondary Education Minister K. Parthasarathy told mediapersons.
The heavy rain triggered by cyclone Helen inflicted an irreparable loss to B.P.T variety paddy. Paddy purchase centres were likely to be set up by mid-December for procuring discoloured paddy apart from making 50,000 quintals of paddy seed available for rabi crop.
Power supply has been disrupted in 195 coastal villages. Restoration works were to be completed in around 50 villages by Saturday evening.
Pedaparupudi and Guduru mandals received the highest rainfall of above 17 cm on Friday among the nine mandals where rainfall was recorded above 10 cm. Around 8,500 people who were evacuated from low-lying areas were sent back to their homes safely on Saturday.
