‘Three lakh hectare of crop area affected due to Cyclone Bulbul in Odisha’

Bhubaneswar: Nearly 3 lakh hectare of crop area including horticulture crops have been affected while about 5,500 houses have been damaged due to cyclone Bulbul, said an official on Sunday.

Six coastal districts were affected following heavy rain and strong wind triggered by the cyclonic storm, which passed through the coastal areas on Saturday.

Five districts Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak Balasore and Mayurbhanj have been mostly affected due to cyclone Bulbul. District of Jajpur is also affected to some extent, said Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena.

Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathy reviewed the cyclone situation on Sunday.

“As per preliminary estimation, nearly 3 lakh hectare of crop area including horticulture crops have been affected out of which about 2 Lakh hectare have suffered crop loss to the extent of 33 per cent and above,” said Jena.

He said a detailed enquiry of crop damage by the joint teams comprising of agriculture and revenue department officials are expected to be completed within a week.

As per initial report, about 5,500 houses have been damaged due to cyclone. A detailed assessment of house damage will be completed within a week, the SRC said.

He said there was no loss of human life due to the cyclone even though 11 large animals, 5 small animals and 50 poultry birds have been lost due to the cyclone.

Out of three deaths reported, the government said two deaths are confirmed not due to cyclone while one death case is under investigation.

Power infrastructures were damaged in several places in the coastal districts following strong wind triggered by the cyclonic storm.

“Out of total nearly 16 lakh consumers affected due to the cyclone in the six affected districts, electricity supply has since been restored to 15 lakh consumers (94 per cent). Restoration of electricity is expected to be completed by November 12,” the SRC informed.

Road clearance is complete in all the affected districts. NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service teams substantially assisted in cutting down the fallen trees and clearing the roads.

As many as 8,218 persons were evacuated in five districts namely Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts and placed in 91 shelters.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will make an aerial survey of the affected districts on Monday and review damage and restoration measures at Loka Seva Bhavan, said Chief Minister’s Office.

(IANS)