BERHAMPUR: A 15-year-old boy was injured after a tree fell on him during a powerful nor’wester storm which lashed Rayagada town and its surrounding areas on Sunday afternoon.
The victim, Ramesh Kandagiri of Jagaguda village under Rayagada Sadar block, was returning home after taking bath in a nearby river when he was caught in the nor’wester. In a bid to save himself from the heavy rain, he took shelter under a tree.
However, the tree got uprooted due to the strong winds and fell on him. Ramesh suffered grievous injuries to his waist and was rushed to the district headquarters hospital.
Sources said Rayagada town witnessed nearly an hour of heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning. Several trees were uprooted at different locations, blocking roads and affecting traffic movement. Rainwater inundated many roads, leading to temporary traffic congestion across the town.
Residents of low-lying areas alleged that drain water entered their houses following the heavy downpour. Waterlogging was reported near the collector’s office due to poor drainage. Areas including Nehru Nagar, Utkalamani Nagar, New Colony, Antariguda and Rayat Colony experienced severe waterlogging, leaving many residents stranded.
A large tamarind tree was uprooted at Chintalaguda village under Tadama panchayat in Rayagada block, obstructing vehicular movement on the bypass road. The storm also triggered power outages in several areas.
At Gurumaguda village, the roof of a house was blown away, while two electric poles were damaged. Similar losses were reported from several other villages affected by the storm.
Fire services personnel rushed to the affected areas and launched efforts to clear fallen trees and restore road connectivity. Electricity staff were also engaged in repairing damaged power lines. Authorities are currently assessing the extent of damage caused by the nor’wester.
