Relatives of cyclone-hit in city still on tenterhooks

The lines were very disturbed, he said; “All we could gather is that their houses don’t have roofs anymore,” said Das.

He couldn’t send financial assistance in any way, he lamented. Neither was there a way to reach there soon.

Most others had similar tales to narrate. “There was no way by which we could have gone, all we could do was hope for good news,” said Anupreeta Patnaik, a resident at Gotri. She added that till a few days ago they were banking on newspaper reports. Only last night was she able to get in touch with her family, she said. “Most of the family members are fine, but our house has been badly damaged,” said Patnaik.

Divisional Railway Manager K C Jena was also probing in the dark till last night. “Last night that I was able to speak to my brother,” he said. He added that his family was fine but there was no information about any of his close associates. “We have been informed that the houses were there but the families were missing,” said Jena.

Police Commissioner J Mahapatra, too, was unable to speak to any of his family members in Orissa till this morning. “They are fine, but our house is badly damaged,” said Mahapatra.