Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Sunday that Cyclone Dana and subsequent flooding have impacted 3.59 lakh people across 14 districts in the state.
According to Pujari, nearly 810,896 people have been evacuated to 6,210 cyclone relief centers, with Kendrapara, Balasore, and Bhadrak being the hardest-hit districts. He noted that the cyclone-related death toll remains at zero.
“By 10.30 am of Sunday, evacuated people were sheltered in 1,178 cyclone relief centers and they are being provided cooked food and other essential items,” the minister said.
Polythene sheets are also being distributed to those who lost their homes.
Cyclone Dana, which struck early on Friday, affected residents in 1,671 gram panchayats within 108 blocks across 14 districts of Odisha. Preliminary reports indicate that approximately 5,840 houses have been either fully or partially damaged due to the storm and flooding, the minister said.
“Whenever there is a disaster, people lose their houses and get compensation. This time, we want to bring a permanent solution to the problem and provide pucca houses to them in a phased manner,” he added. The state government is also planning a survey of kutcha houses in cyclone- and flood-prone areas.
