Cyclone Helen: Over 160,000 ha of paddy crop damaged

60 % of the damaged crop is only in West Godavari district

About 1,68,998 hectares of paddy crop, of which over 60 per cent is only in West Godavari district, has been damaged under the impact of heavy rains caused by cyclone Helen, preliminary estimates of the state disaster management wing said.

Electricity supply in 563 villages had stopped due to supply disruptions. Trees fell on the power lines and on the road side at several places in the coastal areas of Krishna and Godavari districts.

The highest rainfall of 19.1 cm was recorded at Machilipatnam, where the cyclone made landfall on Friday followed by 15.9 cm and 11.3 cm in a couple of other places in Krishna district. At least, six people, including two fishermen, died in separate incidents.

As a precautionary measure, the state government evacuated over 28,000 people from low lying areas and kept them in 93 relief camps. Ten teams of National Disaster Response Force were pressed into service while four helicopters were kept ready to meet any emergency requirements.

Authorities said all fishermen stranded in the sea were rescued. The authorities have moved around 21,000 people to safer areas in Krishna, Guntur, East and West Godavari districts till Saturday.