The ‘Nivar’ cyclone has caused a heavy impact in Tirupati and surrounding areas. Heavy rains and gales lashed Tirumala Seven Hills and caused landslides on hill slopes. The Sri Vari Temple surroundings also got marooned and flooded with rainwaters. The transportation was badly hit on account of this. Especially, the Sri Vari ‘Nadaka Dari’ (walkers path) was closed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on account of the danger of landslides.

The TTD has announced that it will intimate the date of reopening the walkers path at a later time and after the situation is fully recovered from the cyclone impact. This is the first time that cyclone damage is heavy on the Tirumala abode in recent times.

After the landfall near Chennai, the Nivar cyclone moved towards Chittoor district and weakened further. During this time, the heavy rains have caused widespread damage to crops in Nellore and Rayalaseema districts. Initially estimates put the crop damages at over Rs. 1,000 Cr. In many areas, the green agricultural fields have turned into small lakes under the impact of flood waters.

The officials cautioned that the people should remain alert in view of the cyclone impact and another depression likely to develop in the sea. The TTD has initiated repairs and rubble clearance on the ghat roads of Tirumala hills.