BHUBANESWAR : Much to the respite of forest and wildlife officials, Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district has been able to withstand the impact of cyclone Yaas that pounded the tiger land triggering fear of flash flood in the river catchments.
Officials said Yaas, which battered Bhadrak and Balasore districts after landfall on Wednesday morning as a very severe cyclonic storm, gradually lost its intensity by the time it moved towards Similipal biosphere. Fortunately, the intensity and impact of the cyclone in Similipal forests were less compared to the projection. The storm which lashed the 2,750 sqkm tiger reserve with heavy rain spared its green canopy.
“Though there was heavy downpour with many places in core and buffer areas recording precipitation of over 300 mm, the wind speed mostly remained 70-80 kmph in the tiger reserve,” said STR Field Director and Baripada Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCF) M Jogajayanand.
The number of trees uprooted in buffer areas of the reserve has remained less than 200, while assessment in the core area is still continuing. Strong wind has damaged six anti-poaching camps. However, no loss of life or harm to wildlife has been reported, he said.
The buffer and core areas have 60 and 2 villages respectively. No major damage has been reported from these settlements, he added. The STR Field Director, however, said the heavy rains caused damage to most of the kutcha roads and tracks in the forests connecting gram panchayats.
Bhanjabasa, Ramatirtha, Barheipani and Kabatghai reported more than 300 mm rainfall within 24 hours ending Thursday morning. Eight other places in the reserve recorded 150 to 300 mm rainfall leading to damage of six wooden bridges and a culvert in Similipal north.
He said 175 micro teams with 600 members are on the field for the last 24 hours to clear forest tracks and uprooted trees have been cleared from all the tracks making them motorable. Similipal North DFO and STR Deputy Director Sai Kiran said the eco-tourism cottages in this jurisdiction are also safe. The water levels of river catchments which increased on Thursday evening have started receding.