NewsBytes
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    More
    In the news
    Narendra Modi
    Amit Shah
    Box Office Collection
    Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
    OTT releases
    Hindi Tamil Telugu
    NewsBytes
    User Placeholder

    Hi,

    Logout


    India Business World Politics Sports Technology Entertainment Auto Lifestyle Inspirational Career Bengaluru Delhi Mumbai Visual Stories Find Cricket Statistics Phones Reviews Fitness Bands Reviews Speakers Reviews

    Download Android App

    Follow us on
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
     
    Home / News / India News / Cyclone Fani: 16 dead, Puri struggles to return on feet
    Cyclone Fani: 16 dead, Puri struggles to return on feet
    India

    Cyclone Fani: 16 dead, Puri struggles to return on feet

    Written by Shalini Ojha
    May 05, 2019 | 10:59 am 3 min read
    Cyclone Fani: 16 dead, Puri struggles to return on feet

    Cyclone Fani, the rare storm which hit Odisha on Friday wreaked havoc in Puri, the home of Lord Jagannath, with residents struggling in the absence of drinking water and food. The death toll due to Fani (pronounced as Foni) reached 16. While authorities managed to minimize loss of lives due to swift evacuations, properties, including roads and buildings, were damaged. Here's what we know.

    Parts of Jagannath Temple has been damaged

    Puri was one of the first towns to be hit by Fani. During landfall, the wind speed was estimated at around 220 kmph. Even parts of the historic temple were damaged. Due to uprooted trees, road connectivity has been affected. Puri district collector Jyoti Prakash Das told HT that teams haven't been able to reach areas like Krushnsprasad, Bramhagiri, and Astaranga.

    While highways are functioning, problem of inaccessibility remains

    "Though we have managed to somehow clear the national highway connecting Bhubaneswar and the roads in the town, many interior roads are inaccessible. We have pressed NDRF and ODRAF teams for the job. We have opened around 25 free kitchens in the town," Das added.

    Locals are living in uncertainty, have no food

    Authorities are confident that things would change for better in the next week. But residents are getting restless. Housewife Pushpalata Patra told the daily she doesn't know what to feed her kids as her house has been destroyed. She is forced to buy drinking water. Separately, Sushmita Sahu, who lived in Ramchandi sahu slum, said 10 kg rice which she stored has turned soggy.

    Government has to rebuild 10,000 villages, 53 urban areas

    The government has taken on the mammoth task of rebuilding 10,000 villages and 52 urban areas. Like Puri, capital city Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack slipped into darkness as there has been no sign of power since Friday night. Most of the thatched houses have been flattened, and lakhs of mobile and electric poles have been uprooted. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said infrastructure was torn apart.

    Rarity of Fani made prediction difficult, said Patnaik

    "Fani is one of the rarest of rare cyclones - the first to hit in 43 years and one of three to hit in 150 years. Because of the rarity, the prediction and tracking of the cyclone were challenging," said Patnaik.

    Puri and Bhubaneshwar could get connectivity by Monday

    Hemant Sharma, Odisha energy secretary, said 10,000 electric poles in Bhubaneshwar have been uprooted affecting 30 lakh customers. Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi was hopeful some connectivity would be restored by Monday. "By Monday we are trying to restore BSNL connectivity in Puri and Bhubaneswar. We are trying to restore power in large parts of Bhubaneswar by Sunday," he added.

    Flight services resumed but trains are still hit

    Flight operations restarted in Bhubaneshwar on Saturday and many passengers were sent to Delhi via special planes. Train services also resumed in some sections of Howrah-Chennai route. However, trains won't run to and from Puri till May 10, an East Coast Railway (ECoR) official said. Centre has postponed AIIMS and NEET examinations for Odisha students. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha on Monday.

    Here's how you can help Odisha

    You can also do your bit by contributing online to https://cmrfodisha.gov.in/donation/onlinedonation.php. Cheques and DDs for offline donations can be sent to Additional Secretary to Government, Chief Minister's Relief Fund, General Administration & Public Grievance Department, Odisha Secretariat, Bhubaneswar-751001. Notably, NGO Goonj is inviting donations. You can send food items, clothes, utensils, and toiletries. You can visit their website, https://goonj.org/cyclone-fani, for details.

    Share this timeline
    Facebook
    Whatsapp
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Related News
    Odisha
    Puri
    Jagannath Temple
    National Disaster Response Force
    Lord Jagannath

    Odisha

    #CycloneFani strikes West Bengal: Heavy rain batters Kolkata; trees uprooted India
    #CycloneFani: How to stay safe during a cyclone? India
    Cyclone Fani batters Odisha, 3 dead, villages submerged: Details here Mamata Banerjee
    Cyclone Fani makes landfall, flights canceled, people evacuated: Details here IndiGo

    Puri

    BJP releases second list of candidates, Sambit Patra gets Puri Odisha
    Delhi: Dense fog disrupts flights and trains Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi)
    SC: Policemen can't wear shoes, carry weapons into Jagannath Temple Supreme Court Of India
    Red alert sounded as cyclonic storm Titli heads towards Odisha Odisha

    Jagannath Temple

    Here's why Jagannath Temple's priest wants to die India
    Puri violence: 5 policemen suspended for negligence, 18 persons arrested Puri
    Jagannath Rath Yatra starts in Ahmedabad; PM greets people Gujarat
    Puri: Jagannath Temple's Ratna Bhandar needs renovation, says official Puri

    National Disaster Response Force

    12 coaches of Poorva Express derail near Kanpur, 13 injured Kanpur
    Rajnath Singh launches 28 infrastructure projects worth Rs. 1,900cr Delhi Police
    Meghalaya: Second body spotted 280ft inside flooded mine Meghalaya
    Gurugram building collapse: Six bodies recovered, rescue operations underway Gurugram

    Lord Jagannath

    Abhijit Iyer-Mitra walks out of Odisha jail after 43 days Odisha
    Abhijit Iyer-Mitra granted bail after Odisha govt drops charges Odisha
    Jailed for 'hurting sentiments', journalist Abhijit Iyer-Mitra admitted to hospital Odisha
    Rasogolla-comment or hurting sentiments? Here's why journalist Mitra was arrested Odisha
    Next News Article

    Love India News?

    Subscribe to stay updated.

    India Thumbnail
    Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
    About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
    Follow us on
    Facebook Twitter Linkedin
    All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2023