Relieved Odisha readies to help storm-hit Andhra Pradesh

Hudhud passes over state without major damage, 1.56 lakh people evacuated to safer places

The Odisha government is preparing to assist Andhra Pradesh in restoring road and power communication in storm-hit Visakhapatnam and its adjoining areas after undertaking large scale evacuation as cyclone Hudhud did not cause any major damage in the state since its landfall.

During a video conference with the Union cabinet secretary, Andhra Pradesh chief secretary today requested that Odisha should provide manpower and equipment assistance in clearing roads cut off due to uprooting of trees and restoring power transformers damaged in the storm.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will take a call on what kind of assistance can be provided in response to the requests made by Andhra Pradesh. "We will certainly take some steps to reciprocate the generosity shown by the neighbouring state during 1999 super cyclone in Odisha", Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, special relief commissioner (SRC) of Odisha, told newspersons here. "Out of four teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed in the state, two have already been sent to Visakhapatnam. The remaining two teams and forces from Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) will be sent soon after post cyclone flood worries are over", he added.

Anticipating floods in coastal areas after weather office predicted heavy rains as the cyclone system crossed over the state, the government has so far evacuated 156,169 people and has kept them in 1690 shelters in nine districts.

According to forecasts, the rainfalls would be upt o 250 mm in districts such as Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nawarangpur, Ganjam, Gajpati, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Khurda, Puri, Nawapara, Boudh, Bolangir, Sonepur and Phulbani in next 24 hours.

"Flood situation is not alarming, still two rivers-Rushikulya and Bansadhara--are showing trends of rising. All the districts are receiving rainfall as per the prediction, but we hope it will not be severe", said Mohapatra.

The government has also forcefully evacuated all the tribal people living in Bonda Ghati in hilly Koraput district as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has projected that the storm would cross the district tonight before touching Chhattisgarh.

The total distance Hudhud will cover in Odisha is just 50 Km as it cut across from Andhra Pradesh to Chhattisgarh over southernmost tip of the state. The wind speed is expected to remain within 60 km per hour. But as a precautionary measure, we had to forcefully evacuate the Bonda tribes who were reluctant to leave their residence, said Mohapatra.

So far, there has been three casualties in cyclone related incidents, two in Kendrapara and one in Puri district. Though tidal surges were seen in coasts of Kendrapara and Puri, it did not affect the people living in nearby areas.

Power supply situation in Odisha has so far been intact in all places, barring a few places in Gajapati district as the supplies were cut off there anticipating the passage of cyclone Hudhud and because of uprooting of trees and poles at some places due to gusting wind. The power supplies will be restored at these places soon, Mohapatra said.