Bhubaneswar: Air-dropping of relief began Saturday morning in the flood-ravaged Aska and Purushottampur areas of Ganjam district even as flood water has started receding from the towns.
The Chief Secretary, A P Padhi, told media persons that Gajapati district was the worst-affected by cyclone Titli while Ganjam suffered extensively from flooding in its aftermath.
Work was on to clear roads blocked by fallen trees in Gajapati district, he said adding that tubewells were being made functional in the rural areas of Ganjam district while potable water was being supplied by vehicles in the urban areas.
Padhi earlier in the morning held a video conference with the Collectors of Ganjam and Gajapati districts and the sub-collector of Rayagada district since the Collector was out in the field.
The Chief Secretary said plans were afoot to deploy one of the two Navy choppers in Gajapati district. The two choppers are now engaged in relief work in Ganjam.
He said the cyclone had caused severe damage to public infrastructure in Gajapati and it would take a week to restore power supply in the rural areas of the district.
The Chief Secretary, however, said media reports about several people dying in a landslide in Gajapati district was being verified. The SP and Collector with officials were on their way to the reported site of the incident, he said.
On Rayagada, he said the situation was improving barring in some places.
PNN