PURI: There was no major damage to life and property due to cyclonic storm in beach town on Sunday. However, the district administration had taken all possible measures to minimise the loss.
While 14 electric poles on the beach got bent, 15 houses of the fishermen were damaged by gusty wind. But heavy rain inundated the low lying areas.
In Astaranga, tidal wave entered four villages. Similarly, in Krushna Prasad in Chilika, the tidal water entered Sipakuda and three other villages. In Chandrabhaga, near Konark, the fishermen were evacuated to cyclone shelters.
Nearly 4,000 people staying in low lying areas and near the sea were evacuated. Tourists were advised not to come out of the hotel rooms. Police closed three-km stretch of road from hotel Sterling Resorts to Hans Coco Palm Resort besides clearing all the vendors from the beach. Hotels close to the beach were asked to evacuate their boarders since Saturday in anticipation of sea ingress.
People of a part of fishermen colony in Pentkota close to the sea were shifted to cyclone shelters where they are provided cooked and dry food.
On Saturday night, a fisherman was killed while he was trying to shift his boats and got compressed between two other boats.