Rains affect relief work in cyclone-hit areas

Bhubaneswar, Oct 22:

The ongoing relief and restoration work in the aftermath of Cyclone Phailin was severely affected Tuesday with low pressure induced rains lashing parts of Odisha.

Heavy rains were reported from most of the districts hit by the cyclone and the subsequent floods, official sources said.

“We have decided to extend the duration of relief distribution by three days as the work has been severely hit by incessant rains for the past two days,” Special Relief Commissioner P K Mohapatra said.

Relief distribution was scheduled to be completed Tuesday.

The cyclone victims, who have lost their houses, are being provided with polythene sheets in affected areas but relief materials which were stored in panchayat offices could not be distributed due to the heavy downpour, he said.

The government is distributing relief materials and cash in 15 districts barring Ganjam and Balasore, which were affected most by the floods, he said.

More than four lakh people have lost their homes in the cyclone and flood.

Meanwhile, IMD predicted heavy to very heavy rain in some places while most parts of the state could experience moderate rainfall. Gopalpur, where the cyclone hit the land on the night of October 12, received above 90 mm of rainfall during the last 24 hours.

The well marked low pressure over west central and adjoining south west Bay of Bengal off north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh will trigger rainfall across the state in the next 24 hours, said IMD director Sarat Sahu. (PTI)