Bhubaneswar, Oct 28 (PTI) The severe cyclonic storm Montha on Tuesday brought heavy rain in coastal and southern Odisha districts, causing landslides and damaging houses besides uprooting trees, officials said.
The landfall of Montha started Kakinada in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh about 7 pm and the process will continue for three to four hours, the Met office said.
The preliminary reports of damages were received from eight southern Odisha districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur.
Normal life, however, was affected in a total of 15 districts in the region.
A report from Anaka Gram Panchayat in Gajapati district said big boulders fell from nearby hills, blocking roads to five villages.
“The
place was earlier identified as landslide landslide-prone area. Therefore, arrangements have been made for early clearance of the blockade,” said Balakrushna Mallick, a local panchayat functionary.
Another landslide was also reported from Linga–Barabha road in Partoda panchayat Kashinagar block of Gajapati.
Trees were also uprooted in Gunupur, Gudari and Ramnaguda areas of Rayagada district.
“Reports of damage from different districts would be compiled once the cyclone crosses the state,” an official at the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) office said.
However, a report from Gajapati district said that a supply assistant engaged in managing cyclone shelter at Potara panchayat died after suddenly falling ill on Monday night.
The deceased, identified as Surendra Gamang, had been bringing people to the cyclone shelter on Monday, said Panchayat Samiti member Lokanath Dalai.
The police were yet to confirm the cause of Gamang’s death.
A report from Mohana in Gajapati district said a mud-walled house collapsed due to incessant rains, leaving one person injured. The tin roof of a house in the area was blown away in strong winds, an official said.
Dr Manorama Mohanty, the director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, said, “The landfall of the severe cyclonic storm Montha has started about 7 pm and the process will continue for three to four hours.” During the landfall, the wind speed was 80 to 90 km per hour with gusting up to 110 kmph, Mohanty said.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the state’s preparation for the possible impact of the calamity that has already affected normal life across 15 districts in the coastal and southern regions of the state.
He said that over 2,000 cyclone shelters were set up to shelter the affected people and the government has set the “Zero Casualty” goal.
The CM said 153 rescue teams (over 6,000 personnel) comprising personnel of NDRF, ODRAF, and Fire Service are positioned at vulnerable places across the eight southern districts and responding to the situations.
An official report said that as many as 1,871 pregnant women were shifted to various health centers since Monday, of whom 452 have given birth.
The administration has already announced the closure of schools and anganwadi centres in nine districts till October 30, while East Coast Railway has announced cancellation, diversion, and short termination of some trains operating in the Waltair region and connected routes. The leave of government employees has also been cancelled till October 30.
The administration has also sealed all sea beaches to prevent tourists and local people from entering the shores, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) D K Singh said.
A report from Puri said that a lifeguard was injured after he was allegedly assaulted by tourists at the beach on Tuesday when he prevented them from taking a bath in the sea in view of cyclone Montha. The tourist’s wife allegedly attacked the lifeguard with slippers for stopping them from entering the sea, police said.
As the sea conditions remain rough to very rough, the state government has advised fishermen not to venture into the Bay of Bengal, along and off the Odisha coast, till October 29.
A statement issued by the East Coast Railway said that as many as 61 trains were cancelled, two diverted, and five short-terminated/short-originated five trains, while eight others were rescheduled.
The weather agency also suggested hoisting of local cautionary signal (LC-III) No-III at Gopalpur Port and Distant Warning Signal No-II (DW-II) at Paradip, Dhamra, Puri, Chhatrapur and Chandbali ports of Odisha.
In a video message, Leader of the Opposition and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik urged people to cooperate with the administration in tackling cyclone ‘Montha’.
“You know the storm Montha is coming. We have successfully faced many storms in the past. So don’t be afraid. Be alert. Give full cooperation to the administration.
“My request to our BJD workers, brothers and sisters, is to be with the people in this time of crisis and help them. We have always been fighting various disasters together. This time too, let’s fight the storm together,” Patnaik said. PTI AAM NN
