India, Oct. 29 -- Andhra Pradesh has asked the Centre for immediate financial assistance for farmers whose standing crops were inundated or flattened by Cyclone Arnab, pressing for money to be released before a full damage assessment is completed.

In a letter to Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday, state Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu said preliminary estimates put the affected area at 2,24,489 hectares across 14 districts, with losses hitting about 3.45 lakh farmers.

The break-up he gave: 154 mandals affected, 2,11,726 hectares of agricultural land damaged, of which 2,09,460 hectares was paddy, along with 3,18,704 agricultural farmers and 25,914 horticultural farmers. West Godavari rec...