500 hectares of banana, areca nut, papaya and mango orchards have been damaged in Kurnool and Anantapur districts following heavy gales and rains on Monday evening due to the impact of Cyclone Asani.
According to preliminary estimates prepared on Tuesday, the total damage to the horticulture crops alone has been assessed at ₹12.12 crore in Nandyal, Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai districts, while the damage in Kurnool district was less and was yet to be estimated according to www.thehindu.com
According to the Anantapur and Sri Sathya Sai District Horticulture officers Gatti Satish and Chandrasekhar, while crops on 273.41 hectares were damaged in Anantapur, in the SSS district it was in 32.65 hectares. Nandyal District Horticulture Officer B.V. Ramana said that while the extent of damage was 200.6 hectares, the loss was estimated at ₹7.85 crore.
Banana and papaya plants were also damaged in Bukkarayasamudram at Reddipalli villages and also in Beluguppa, Atmakur and Kundurpi mandals.