Cyclone Jawad: 131 Blocks Of 12 Districts Severely Hit In Odisha

As many as 131 blocks of 12 districts in Odisha have been badly hit by cyclone Jawad which brushed the State coast on December 5 and 6, bringing record rainfall and unleashing floodgates of misery for people in the State. 

Top officials of the Odisha government on Monday held a crucial meeting with the Central inter-ministerial team which visited different areas of the State for assessment of the losses caused by the cyclone for the last two days.

Discussions in the meeting were over the eye estimates report of the Central team as per which standing crop on more than 5.78 lakh hectares in around 131 Blocks of 12 districts have been severely damaged. 

The 12 districts where crops have been severely damaged are Ganjam, Bhadrak, Puri, Cuttack, Balasore, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Jajpur and Mayurbhanj. 

As per sources, the detailed damage report would be sent to the Central team after completion of the field level assessment in seven days.

During the interaction, the Central team led by Saurav Ray, Joint Secretary Ministry of Home affairs mentioned that they saw heavy losses to farmers at the ground level caused by the cyclon-induced rains. Ray stated that the famers who suffered loss need governmental support and assistance. 

Odisha Chief Secretary apprised the Central team that there was bumper crop in many districts despite deficit rainfall during the initial months of the monsoon season and they were almost in a ripened stage when the cyclone arrived near Odisha coast bringing heavy rainfall, thereby giving too little time to farmers for harvest.