BERHAMPUR: Although it has been more than 10 days since cyclone Titli wreaked havoc in large parts of Ganjam district, its effect can be seen in two villages of Baibili panchayat of Bhanjanagar block.
While the calamity devastated the villages and razed several houses, more houses are on the verge of collapse. It also led to widening of nullahs and erosion of soil. Flood water has widened Sapalaguda nullah, which used to remain dry most of the time. The ‘nullah’ now flows on one side of Birikote and Sapalaguda villages.
The calamity eroded the land near the nullah leading to collapse of a road to the UP School building and four houses in Birikote village. The owners of the houses have taken shelter in an anganwadi centre as they have lost all their belongings in the flood that followed the cyclone.
Though as per Government directive, the flood victims are being given cooked food, they are worried about their future. While the flood swept away the houses of Mira Senapati, Subrata Sahu, Narayana Sahu and Prasant Sahu in Birikote village, it also damaged the houses of eight more families who continue to live in fear.
Similar is the situation in Sapalaguda village. The flood in the nullah has damaged at least 18 houses in the village besides destroying paddy and vegetable fields. Flood water and boulders from the adjacent hill have damaged the check dam.
The road from Birikot-Sapalaguda to Baibili has suffered immense damage at several places as a result of which the villages have been cut off from the rest of the district. Meanwhile, the affected villagers said except for relief and cooked food, they are yet to receive any other assistance for reconstruction.They have appealed to the administration to initiate immediate measures for resettling them to a safer place.