BHUBANESWAR: The toll in the extremely severe cyclone Fani went up to 64 with 21 fresh casualties confirmed by the Odisha Government on Sunday. The number of deaths, which was 43 till Saturday, increased as 18 more casualties were reported from the worst hit Puri district and four more from Khurda district.
The tropical storm which hit Odisha coast on May 3, has left at least 241 people injured. However, the State Government, which had earlier put the toll in Jajpur at four, brought the number of casualties due to the cyclone in the district down to three on Sunday.
The highest number of 39 deaths have been reported from Puri district, followed by nine in Khurda, six in Cuttack, four in Mayurbhanj and three each in Kendrapara and Jajpur district, according to the situation report released by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC).Of the 64 deaths, 25 were due to wall collapse while 20 were crushed under uprooted trees and six died of roof collapse. The cause of 13 casualties is yet to be ascertained. Out of the 241 people, who were injured in the cyclone, 160 were from Puri district followed by 74 from Jajpur district.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the cyclone-affected areas on May 6, had announced ` two lakh ex gratia each for the families of the deceased and `50,000 for the injured. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also announced `1600 crore package for the cyclone hit people.The cyclone has affected more than 1.65 crore people in 18,168 villages and 52 urban areas spread over 14 districts, and rendered over five lakh families homeless. The situation report said livestock casualty has been more than 40.7 lakh which included 40.64 lakh poultry.
Official sources said out of 25,05,556 affected consumers in Angul, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Puri, Nayagarh, Khurda, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur districts, electricity has been restored to 17,05,695. In Cuttack, electricity has been restored to 34,5,396 out of 49,0,532 affected consumers while in Khurda district electricity has been restored to 36,6,653 out of 56,6,923 affected consumers. Electricity is yet to be restored in Puri. Work is in full swing for restoring 29,1,171 affected consumers.
The situation report maintained that marine drive, Nimapara-Satasankha road, New Jagannath Sadak, Gop-Balighai road, Pipili-Konark, Patnaikia-Khurda road, Puri-Satapada road and Pipili-Jatani road have been cleared. Repair of 10 important public buildings in Puri town such as collectorate, circuit house, ITI, district headquarters hospital, district court, tehasil office, PWD IB, police Bhawan, SP office and municipality office have been taken up on priority basis. Besides, restoration of 132 KV Puri-Nimapara line is going on.