Amphan Cyclone Affected Nearly 45 Lakh People In Odisha: State Govt

Bhubaneswar: A total of 1500 villages habitated by around 45 lakh people under 89 blocks of the State were affected by the fury of the cyclone Amphan, informed Odisha Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.

Tripathy on Thursday spoke with Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba through video conferencing to brief him about damages to lives and property caused by Cyclone Amphan that brushed along the State with high-velocity winds and heavy downpour before making landfall in West Bengal.

#CycloneAmphan damage assessment: Around 44.80 lakh people of 1500 panchayats under 89 blocks of the State have been affected due to the cyclone. 80% of electricity restoration & complete road repair works will finished by today evening: #Odisha Chief Secy Asit Tripathy pic.twitter.com/xz298JkVfm

— OTV (@otvnews) May 21, 2020

As many as two lakh people were evacuated from their homes and placed safely in different shelters during the cyclone, Tripathy informed Gauba through video conference from here.
A total of 210 medical teams and 75 teams of veterinary doctors have been despatched to the affected areas in the State.

Tripathy said that, restoration and repair works have been going in full swing and electricity connection of 80% of the affected areas will be restored by the end of the day. He further assured Gauba that, the areas falling under Central Electricity Supply Utility’s (CESU’s) jurisdiction will be reconnected with electricity in a day or two.

Other officials present in the meeting were, Agriculture Secretary, Panchayati Raj Secretary, Energy Secretary and Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Jena.

Meanwhile, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi briefed media about the steps being taken to compensate farmers affected by the ravaging cyclone.

“Rabi Crop in some of the coastal districts got damaged by the cyclone. I have sought an initial damage report from district collectors within 48 hours,” said Marndi.

Marndi further said, “Following assessment of the preliminary report, they will furnish a detailed report before the ministry. After then we will decide on the future course of action.”

Notably, the Super Cyclone Amphan that hit the landmass at West Bengal’s Sunderbans as an Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm on Wednesday afternoon caused heavy damage to crops, vegetation, fragile structures, kaccha houses, electric & telecommunication lines primarily in the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jajpur and Mayurbhanj of Odisha.