Cyclone ‘Montha’ damages 13,000 power poles; 3,000 transformers in Andhra

Andhra Pradesh’s coastal belt is still counting the scars left behind by Cyclone Montha, which tore through the state earlier this week — toppling thousands of electric poles, snapping power lines, and leaving transformers in ruin.

Energy minister G. Ravi Kumar on Friday painted a vivid picture of the devastation: nearly 13,000 electric poles, 3,000 km of conductor lines, and 3,000 transformers lay damaged in the storm’s wake. The state, chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu earlier said, had suffered losses worth over Rs 5,265 crore.

Yet, amid the wreckage, the government struck a note of resilience. Kumar said the Energy Department had mobilised teams two days before landfall, ensuring swift response when Montha made its furious descent. “Thousands of poles and transformers were affected across coastal districts,” he said, “but public safety remained our top priority”.

According to Kumar, nearly 1,500 personnel worked round the clock to restore power within 24 hours, despite the extensive damage. Feeders connected to agriculture and aquaculture sectors, he said, would be fully functional within 48 hours, with shutdowns imposed only where gale-force winds persisted.

Turning political, the minister took a swipe at YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy, saying he had “no moral right to speak” about cyclone management. “Perhaps he is disappointed that Montha did not bring large-scale tragedy,” Kumar remarked, crediting the state’s “effective preparedness and inter-departmental coordination” for averting greater loss.

Through the storm’s chaos and the calm that followed, Andhra’s response, Kumar insisted, reflected discipline, foresight, and resolve — the quiet strength of a state that has weathered many tempests before.

With PTI inputs