Cyclone 'Titli' leaves eight dead in AP, causes widespread damage
Amaravati (AP), Oct 11: The "very severe" cyclonic storm, "Titli", left eight people dead, besides causing widespread damage in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of north coastal Andhra Pradesh Thursday, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said.
The cyclone threw normal life out of gear as heavy to very heavy rains started lashing the two districts since late Wednesday night.
Eight people were killed in different storm-related incidents.
While a 62-year-old woman died at Gudivada Agraharam village after an uprooted tree fell on her, a 55-year-old man died in a house collapse at Rotanasa village in Srikakulam district, the SDMA said.
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) informed that six fishermen, who had put out to sea, were killed.
Of the 67 fishing boats that had ventured into the sea over the last few days from Kakinada in East Godavari district, 65 had returned to the shore safely, the CMO said.
Efforts were on to bring back the remaining two boats safely, it added in a release.
The road network suffered extensive damage in Srikakulam district, while the power distribution network was also vastly affected.
More than 2,000 electric poles were uprooted by strong winds.
The Eastern Power Distribution Company that caters to the electricity needs of the north coastal districts reported that the power distribution system for 4,319 villages and six towns was affected in Srikakulam district.
Traffic on the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway was also hit at places like Tekkali due to uprooted trees.
The telecommunication network in the district has also been hit.
The South Central Railway as well as the East Coast Railway cancelled several trains while some were terminated midway.
A few express trains were diverted via other regions.
Horticulture crops suffered extensive damage in Srikakulam district while paddy suffered damage in Vizianagaram.
Coconut plantations, banana and mango trees were the worst hit in the "very severe" cyclonic storm, according to a preliminary report prepared by the SDMA.
The Palasa, Vajrapukottur, Nandigam areas recorded 28.02 cm of rainfall followed by Kotabommali (24.82 cm), Santabommali (24.42 cm), Itchapuram (23.76 cm) and Tekkali (23.46 cm).
The other mandals in Srikakulam district recorded rainfall ranging from 2 cm to 13.26 cm, the CMO said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Lorry strike not good for farmers, says K’taka Transport Min. Ramalinga Reddy
Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that any kind of strike is not good for the interest of the public and farmers.
After a meeting with representatives of the State Lorry Owners Association, Reddy addressed the media, pointing out that the strike was being held only now despite a decade of rising fuel prices under the central government.
The minister noted that the price of diesel has nearly doubled from ₹49.54 in 2015 to ₹91.05 currently without sparking similar protests during that time. He attributed the current economic strain on state governments to the central government's fiscal policies, arguing that state-level taxation was a forced measure to keep the system afloat. “When the real issue lies at the Centre, why strike now?” he questioned.
Meanwhile, G.R. Shanmukhappa, president of the State Lorry Owners Association, said the group has written multiple times to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah but has yet to receive a response. He reiterated that the association is ready for discussions if the government reaches out.
Their demands include a review of diesel prices, an end to extortion by RTO officials at border checkpoints, and the easing of restrictions on lorries entering Bengaluru, particularly those transporting daily essentials.
