BALASORE/BARIPADA: Over two lakh people were shifted to safer places from low-lying areas of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts on Thursday.
Over 1.34 lakh people along with domestic animals have been shifted from vulnerable places in Baliapal, Basta, Bhograi, Jaleswar, Balasore Sadar and Remuna blocks in Balasore district. The district administration has been shifting people to safer places from these areas for the last 48 hours.
Initially, as many as 15 families were evacuated from Subarna island in Bhograi blocks. Apart from this, a mass evacuation drive was also carried in Jaleswar, Balipapal, Bhograi, Remuna, Balasore Sadar, Basata, Soro, Oupada, Bahanaga, Khantapada and Nilagiri blocks of the district.
Balasore collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikash told mediapersons at least 1,34,009 have already been evacuated in the district. For the safety of people and animals, at least 147 healthcare professionals along with 24 mobile health teams, 12 veterinary teams and 16 platoons of police have been deployed in the 12 blocks, three municipalities and two NACs of the district. This apart, cyclone shelters in Bahanaga block are being supplied safe drinking water.
The collector said officials are personally monitoring continuous supply of water bottles to the shelters where people are being given freshly cooked meals. Community-led free kitchens are also being operated in the centres to meet the needs of the affected people.
Officials along with police personnel made announcements through loudspeakers asking people to shift to safer places. People unwilling to shift were forcefully evacuated by police and field officials, said sources.
40,000 people evacuated from low lying areas across Mayurbhanj dist
Similarly, in Mayurbhanj, the district administration evacuated more than 40,000 people from low-lying areas in Badasahi, Betnoti, Baripada, Gopabandhunagar, Kaptipada and other blocks. They were accommodated in 450 temporary and 10 permanent cyclone shelters across the district.
Arrangements have been made for people evacuated from vulnerable places for 48 hours, said senior bureaucrat and supervising officer of Mayurbhanj Vineet Bhardwaj. He said at least 1100 people from Madhuban and its adjoining wards in Baripada were shifted to the nearest cyclone shelters.
Sources said personnel of the 4th unit of the Indian Reserve Battalion team rescued a fisherman from Kaptipada who was stranded at Kala dam. The man had gone to the dam for fishing but was stranded due to rain and wind. On being informed, the team rushed to the spot and rescued him safely.
An ODRF team also cleared the Basinga-Rupsa main road as a tree had fallen on it at Kadalia Chowk. Official sources said two NDRF and six ODRAF teams have been deployed in low-lying and vulnerable areas of the district.