Puri: The administration has proposed construction of additional cyclone shelters in Puri district in a meeting with a team from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The NDMA team Wednesday visited some cyclone-ravaged villages in Puri and participated in a review meeting on relief and restoration work.
Collector Balwant Singh informed the NDMA team that altogether 2,78, 762 houses in Puri district have been damaged by cyclone Fani that made a landfall on Odisha coast May 3.
According to the collector, at least 74 pucca houses and 8, 985 kutcha houses have been completely destroyed by the cyclone. A total of 6,127 pucca houses and 98,588 kutcha houses sustained severe damage due to the storm.
Moreover, 1, 13, 281 pucca houses and 49, 529 kutcha houses sustained partial damage. On the other hand, the summer storm has damaged altogether 2, 178 makeshift houses and 44, 378 cowsheds in the district. “The damage can be pegged at Rs 11,6695 lakh,” Singh informed the NDMA team.
The administration claimed that altogether 173 schools in the district have been completely damaged by the May 3 storm. Besides, 564 classrooms of 160 schools have ravaged by the storm.
The collector told the NDMA team that around 1,000 fishing boats in the district have been fully or partially damaged by the storm. According to him, the cyclonic storm has taken a heavy toll on livestock.
At least 1,796 buffaloes and cows, 1,400 sheep and goats, 103 oxen, 406 calves and 26,68, 224 chickens and ducks have perished in the cyclone, the collector informed the NDMA team.
“The administration is taking steps to provide house damage assistance and other financial aid to the cyclone victims,” Singh said.
Prior to the review meeting, the NDMA team visited a few cyclone-ravaged villages of Puri Sadar and Krushnaprasad blocks and enquired about the relief and restoration work. “Odisha has become an example for others for evacuating lakhs of people including elderly persons, women and children prior to the cyclone’s landfall and thus saving their lives,” said Kamal Kishore, a member of the NDMA team.