BHUBANESWAR: Cyclonic storm Gulab which crossed the coast between South Odisha and Andhra Pradesh near Kalingapatnam on Sunday night partially disrupted road communication in Koraput and Malkangiri districts. However, no major damage to properties or infrastructure has so far been reported because of the cyclone.
Big trees were found uprooted on the Koraput-Pottangi road disrupting communication. Similarly, communication through several other roads in the two districts including the Lamtaput-Vishakhapatnam road was hit as trees had fallen due to the cyclone. Vehicular traffic was also disrupted on the national highway 26 which was submerged under rain water at Sunki. The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team rushed to the area and shifted people to a nearby Large Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS) office.
Besides, communication was disrupted in several roads and houses were in Raleguda block in Malkangiri district. Malkangiri-Motu road has been cut off because storm water flowed onto the road. The Soroda-Daringbadi ghat road in Ganjam district has been sealed apprehending a landslide due to heavy rainfall.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena told mediapersons there has been no major damage to properties or disruptions due to the cyclone. He said that as the cyclonic storm was centred over Malkangiri after it crossed the coast, there was heavy rainfall in the district which led to disruptions in road communication. Steps have been initiated to restore communication in the ghat road, he added.
The SRC said water was flowing on some ghat roads after it flowed from some streams. He said that water was also flowing on the ghat road at Sunki. He said that Gajapati district received heavy rainfall because of the cyclone. Pottangi in Koraput district received the highest rainfall of 144 mm, he added.
Sources said that collectors have been asked to make damage assessment and submit a report within five days. The SRC said that the system will turn into a depression within the next two to three hours.