BALASORE: Heavy rains and squally wind-battered Balasore district as cyclone Bulbul moved towards the West Bengal-Bangladesh coast on Saturday. Roads were blocked due to uprooted trees and paddy crops in several acres of land damaged.
A large number of trees were uprooted in Mothasahi near Balasore town, Jaleswar and Haladipada.
Vehicular communication between Kushuda and Nachinda under Kushuda gram panchayat and road from Hasinpur to Thana Chhack under Bhograi block was disrupted by fallen trees. The roads were cleared by NDRF in the evening after intensity of the rain came down.
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Power supply in Baliapal, Jaleswar and a few areas under Sadar block was disrupted due to uprooted electricity poles. In Balasore town, though, power supply was restored in many areas by evening.
However, farmers are worried as rains have inundated paddy crops. They said if rainfall does not stop and water is not drained out, the crops would be damaged.
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From 8 am to 5 pm on Saturday, the district received an average of 29.5 rainfall with Bohgrai block receiving the highest of 66 mm followed by Baliapal that got 40 mm.
The lowest rainfall of 6 mm was recorded in Oupada. Since Friday evening, the administration evacuated 935 people from low lying areas and shifted them to cyclone shelters.
As many as 140 cyclone shelters besides, many schools were opened to provide them shelter, said District Emergency Officer, Abhay Nayak.