Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that Odisha will require another 24 hours to fully restore normalcy following the recent cyclone. As of this evening, electricity has been restored to 14.8 lakh of the 22.4 lakh affected homes. Initial estimates report crop damage across 1.75 lakh acres, with compensation details pending a full assessment.
Cyclone Dana which had been brewing in the Bay of Bengal finally hit Odisha coast between Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts on Thursday midnight and Friday early morning. The state government confirmed that the state recorded zero casualty.
The Chief Minister held a review meeting late on Friday evening with Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, SRC Deoranjan Kumar Singh, and senior officials. “With the blessings of the Lord and team effort, we managed to control the storm’s impact. Over 8 lakh people were evacuated, and many are gradually returning home,” Majhi said. Road blockages due to fallen trees and power infrastructure are being addressed.
The office of the SRC has cancelled the holidays - October 26 and 27- of government employees who would be required to assist in relief and restoration works following the cyclone Dana. Schools in Bhadrak and Keonjhar too have declared holidays for students on October 26 while teachers and other staff have been asked to attend school to participate in assessment of damages caused by the storm.
Power Restoration Challenges
Majhi acknowledged delays in power restoration due to persistent heavy rains and wind. “By evening, power had been restored to 14.8 lakh homes, and we expect full restoration within 24 hours,” he said. Principal Secretary, Industries, Hemant Kumar Sharma has been deployed on the ground to expedite power restoration.
Impact on Agriculture