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Journalism of Courage
BHUBANESWAR, OCT 18: At least 22 people were killed by the cyclonic storm which crossed the Orissa coast with gales blowing at 200 kmph during the wee hours on Monday, leaving a trail of devastation in Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Khurda districts. The cyclone also disrupted telecommunication, road and railway networks. Though the Government put the toll at 16, it said the figure may rise as the exact magnitude of the devastation is yet to be ascertained.
Chief Minister Girdhar Gamang 8212; who made an aerial survey of Ganjam, the worst affected district 8212; on Monday afternoon apprised Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee about the seriousness of the situation. He requested Vajpayee to send a Central team to assess the devastation. The State Government has requisitioned the Air Force for airdropping food packets in the affected areas, he said.
Most of the deaths were caused by houses collapsing and trees being uprooted. Behrampur alone accounted for 10 deaths.
He said Ganjam was virtually cut off fromthe mainstream following complete disruption in telecommunication and road communication, including the police wireless system. As many as 30 coastal villages of Ganjam came under the grip of the severe cyclonic storm and flash floods in river Rushikulya, following heavy rains in the district in the last 48 hours.
Apart from causing extensive damage to houses and property, the storm damaged standing crops in the district. Gamang said that a detailed report on the situation in the district is awaited as telecommunication and power supply had yet to be restored completely. About seven to eight electricity towers had been uprooted and efforts were on to provide power supply through 343 KV feeder line for emergency hospital services.
Gamang said that National Highway-5 had been submerged near Berhampur and Chhatrapur as rain water was flowing one feet above it. The State Government has released Rs 10 crore from the State Calamity Relief Fund and the Chief Minister has released Rs 25 lakh from his own relieffund to undertake immediate restoration and relief measures.
Gamang said ex-gratia of Rs 25,000 would be paid to the next of kin of those killed in the cyclone and Rs 10,000 to the seriously injured. Besides, Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 would be paid to those whose houses had collapsed.Six truck-loads of dry ration had been dispatched and one truck-load of polythene cover had been provided for shelter.
Meanwhile, Union Minister for Mines and Mineral Naveen Patnaik and Minister of State for Steel Dilip Ray left for Ganjam to review the situation. Patnaik released Rs 1.3 crore from his ministry and Rs 25 lakh from Nalco towards relief assistance. Damage reports were received from several coastal districts, including Jagatsinghpur, Kandrapara, Puri, Jajpur, Khurda, Bhadrak and Balasore.
