BHUBANESWAR: With Hud Hud crossing Odisha on Sunday night, the State Government turned its focus on restoration measures in the affected districts as the very severe cyclonic storm has destroyed 80,000 thatched houses and caused extensive damage to power infrastructure.
Koraput district has been the worst affected with 30,000 ‘kutcha’ houses damaged, while 15,000 houses were blown away in Gajapati district. Rayagada district was also affected where 7,000 houses were damaged in the cyclone. Reports reaching from Malkangiri district put the figure at 1,000.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the situation at a high level meeting and asked the officials to take up restoration measures in the affected areas immediately.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said the preliminary assessment is based on the reports of the district administration. “We have sought damage reports from all the districts,” the SRC said and added that a memorandum will also be submitted to the Centre soon.
Of the eight identified cyclone-hit districts in the southern region, four __ Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri and Rayagada __ have been the worst affected. The casualties remained at three as the lives of many people were saved due to timely evacuation, he said.
Though there was not much damage in Ganjam, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts, massive uprooting of trees was reported, he said.
Mohapatra said 2.47 lakh persons were evacuated to safer places and kept in 2,197 centres. These include 66,494 from Koraput district, 65,000 from Gajapati and 49,740 people from Malkangiri district.
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