Cyclone Dana aftermath: Relief, restoration work in Odisha underway on war footing

Bhubaneswar: The relief and restoration work by the personnel of Odisha Police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Response Action Force (ODRAF), Fire Services personnel, energy department and other departments is underway on a war footing after cyclone Dana made landfall on the Odisha coast, an official said on Friday.

The severe cyclonic storm-induced wind speed and heavy rainfall caused maximum damage in Odisha’s coastal districts of Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore. Hundreds of trees and electricity poles were uprooted, electric wires snapped, and thatched houses were damaged at many places in the affected coastal districts.

The police, fire services, ODRAF and NDRF teams have been engaged in clearing of road blockades by removing uprooted trees that fell on the roads.

It is pertinent here to mention that as many as 19 NDRF, 51 ODRAF and 220 Odisha Fire Services teams have been deployed in the affected districts. This apart, 157 platoons of state police force have also been stationed in these districts.

Speaking to mediapersons, Revenue and Disaster Management (R&DM) Minister Suresh Pujari on Friday said that the roads have been cleared at several places in the cyclone affected districts after within four hours of completion of the landfall process on Friday.

He said that no disruptions in the telecommunications sector have been reported due to the cyclone. Pujari also told the mediapersons that the Energy Department has assured to restore the power supply by Friday sunset.

The R&DM minister noted the District Collectors have already been directed to take steps for the cleaning of the water bodies in low-lying villages before people return to their residences from cyclone shelters and relief centres.

As per reports, more than 6 lakh persons were shifted from their homes in low-lying and vulnerable places before the severe cyclonic storm hit the Odisha coast on Thursday midnight.

Notably, the severe cyclonic storm Dana made landfall at Habalikhati nature camp near Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district on Thursday midnight.

The landfall process was complete on Friday morning after almost nine hours.

CM Majhi asserted that the state government successfully achieved its target of ensuring ‘Zero Casualty’ in the cyclone Dana.

–IANS