Page 50 - 31MAY2019E

Fani devastates

coastal Odisha

he death toll due to cy- Death toll rises to 64 as the whose houses are completely or sub-
clone Fani rose to 64 with state tries to rebuild lives stantially damaged due to extremely
21 fresh deaths confirmed severe cyclone will be sanctioned puc-
on May 12, nine days after and localities ravaged by the ca houses. “In all the severely affected
T the ‘extremely severe’ cy- cyclone, reports blocks, senior officers will be appointed
clonic storm devastated coastal Odi- tehelka bureau to supervise the assessment process,”
sha. The death toll which stood at 43 Patnaik said adding work order distri-
till May 11, rose after 18 more casual- bution to the beneficiaries will begin
ties reported from the worst-hit Puri Mishra, a widow at Biraramchandrapur from June 1.
and four more from Khurda district. village in Puri district. According to sources in the
At 39, the maximum deaths were Mishra is among the many poor Odisha State Disaster Manage-
reported from Puri, followed by Khurda people who have lost their houses and ment Authority (OSDMA), 15,26,877
(9), Cuttack (6), Mayurbhanj (4), Kendra- not sure when they will get assistance houses have been damaged in the
para (3) and Jajpur (3), an official at the from the state government. “How long state in different calamities in last
State Emergency Operation Centre we should wait for the assessment? 12 years. However, the damage
(SEOC) said. If we start construction, they may not caused by cyclone Fani was the most
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen give us assistance,” Mishra said as she severe with as it left 5,08,467 houses
Patnaik directed the officials to start wondered where she would stay in the damaged. The state government has
assessment of houses damaged in cy- meantime. demanded Rs 7,000 crore from the
clone Fani which made landfall in Puri The cyclone affected people are Centre for construction of disaster re-
with wind speed of up to 240 kmph on gradually losing hope as the house as- silient houses in cyclone prone areas of
May 3 and has left at least 241 people in- sessment order was given on the tenth Odisha.
jured. Patnaik also reportedly directed day since the calamity hit their villages While people are already on the
that the house damage assessment be with the exercise beginning 12 days af- streets, unable to get power and water
completed within one week from May ter the disaster. However, the Naveen nine days after the disaster, the house
15. “I have lost my thatched house in the Patnaik regime took full credit for the rebuilding exercise has come as an
cyclone. No one from government has “efficient” evacuation before the calam- additional problem for them. A large
come to see my damaged house. I am ity. Promising full assistance for house number of affected people as well as
waiting for the assessment since May construction, Patnaik said: “I assure opposition parties have also accused
4. I do not know when they will assess that all out efforts will be put so that not the state government of being inad-
the damage and give me assistance to a single eligible person will be left out.” equately prepared to deal with post-
construct my house,” said Shantilata Patnaik further said that all families cyclone situation.

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