Reported by Ranjan Rath
Rayagada, Oct 14:

Nearly 8.5 lakh people across 2009 villages and hamlets in Odisha’s Rayagada district have been affected by Cyclone Hudhud, official sources claimed here.

(Pic-Ranjan Rath) (Pic-Ranjan Rath)

Giving details about the damage, the Rayagada collector Sashibhusan Padhi said the district administration has submitted a preliminary report on the extent of damage in the districts, as per the relief code.

According to the district administration's report, 7062 houses have been damaged as a result of the cyclonic storm. Of this, 110 kutcha houses have been completely damaged while 378 kutcha houses and 6574 houses have suffered partial damage.

Besides, parts of 25 roads in the district have been washed away, Padhi said, adding, the total amount of losses on account of the cyclonic storm is Rs 912.44 lakh as per the preliminary estimate.

While confirming that five persons have been injured, he said the death of an unidentified person, whose body was found from near a broken bridge along Pitesu-Kurumpeta nullah, was yet to be confirmed as a cyclone-related casualty.

Referring to the relief measures, the collector said that the district administration has provided polythene rolls to eight Dangaria families of Khajuri village under Bisamcuttack block as the tin roofs of their houses had been blown away during the cyclone.

On the power disruption in Laxmipur, Tikiri, Rayagada town, Gunupur, Kashipur, Padmapur and Gudari areas, the collector said while the Energy department staff have managed to restore power supply in most of the areas, power was yet to be restored in some parts of Tikiri, Gudari and Padmapur areas.

He, however, said that road communication to Gumma, Mukundpur and Baghudi Ghat was normalized after the fire brigade staff cleared uprooted trees from the road on Monday.