Malkangiri: Cyclonic storm ‘Daye’ which battered this district caused a loss of approximately Rs 2.4 crore, a preliminary loss assessment report said.
The district bore the brunt of the cyclone and thousands were affected by the flood triggered by the storm. People are still living in relief camps. Officials visited villages and prepared reports on losses suffered in the district.
Reports said 567 families lost their homes. Uncertainty looms large over these families, mostly tribals, although the administration is speeding up relief.
Earlier, the Special Relief Commissioner had claimed that there were no casualties. But now reports say that a person drowned and another three were injured in wall collapses. Around 50 cattle heads are believed to have died in the natural disaster.
Kalimela, Padia, Korukonda and Malkangiri blocks were the worst hit. According to government sources, the district suffered an approximate loss of around Rs 2 crore due to the storm.
Bringing back normalcy to the district will be a hard task for the administration as ‘Daye’ had left a trail of destruction.
Many villages are virtually cut off. Water gushed into several villages destroying properties worth crores. Some villages were submerged under four to five feet of water.
Two lakh saplings worth Rs 1 crore were destroyed in the cyclone, said sources in the forest department.
Taking stock of the situation, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had sanctioned relief for seven days in the district. He had announced a relief of Rs 60 per day for adults and Rs 45 per day for children below 12 years in the region.
Although the situation is slowly getting back to normal acres of farmlands are still submerged. Meanwhile, the estimated crop loss suffered by farmers has not been ascertained as survey was still going on.
Fortunately the cyclonic system weakened into a deep depression and moved west-north westward.
“Everything is being done to bring back normalcy. Compensation will be given for all losses suffered by the people,” said Collector Manish Agarwal.
PNN
