Odisha begins damage assessment caused by cyclone 'Montha'

Bhubaneswar, Oct 30 (PTI) The Odisha government on Thursday started assessment of the damage caused by cyclone 'Montha', officials said.

Revenue and Disaster minister Suresh Pujari said the cyclone caused extensive damage to standing paddy crops, cotton cultivation, and vegetables in different districts.

'Montha', which made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday evening, affected people in 33 blocks and 11 urban areas of Odisha. The cyclone has moved out of the state and has gradually weakened into a low-pressure over the Vidarbha region, officials said.

The survey work is expected to be over within three days, the minister said.

"The government has asked all the district authorities to complete damage assessment of crop, houses, private, public properties, roads, bridges and infrastructure within three days and submit their reports so that the affected people could get assistance," Pujari told reporters.

He also said that districts and departments were directed to ensure early restoration work of damaged roads and bridges.

Meanwhile, reports of fresh landslides were received from different districts, including Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal under the impact of incessant rain in the aftermath of the cyclone Montha, officials said.

In Gajapati, a major landslide occurred along the Shankuda-Khiliganda ghat road under Raigada block on Thursday, snapping road connectivity to Bonda and Khilingi villages under S Kardasingh panchayat.

Another landslide disrupted road communication to four villages along the ghat road near Balibada village under Mohana block of Gajapati on Thursday. "Repair works and road clearing operations are already on as teams of NDRF, ODRAF, and fire service were present in the district," an official said.

A landslide also occurred at Khariguda ghat in Ranaba panchayat in Kandhamal's Raikia block. A huge rock collapsed and damaged parts of the Upara Byaghra Devi Temple in Kulada under Bhanjanagar block of Ganjam on Thursday due to rains.

The Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar on Thursday said that the rainfall and thunder shower activities are likely to continue in different parts of Odisha for two more days till November 1.

In its forecast for Friday, the IMD said that light to moderate rain or thunderstorm are very likely to occur at a few places over the districts of interior Odisha and at one or two places over the districts of the coastal region.

The met office issued a yellow warning (be aware) of light to moderate rains in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj on October 31.

The IMD has forecast thunderstorm with lightning accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, and Nayagarh on November 1. PTI AAM AAM RG