Accurate weather predictions of the severe cyclone Phailin saved the lives of many who were evacuated in time but could not help in preventing the massive loss that has occurred to the agro sector in Odisha, where over five lakh hectares of crop worth 2,400 crore, now lies wasted.
“It is not the rain that causes much damage but strong gusting winds that lead to major destruction”, explains Mahesh Palawat, Head of the Meteorological team at Skymet Weather.
Cyclone Phailin made a landfall at the Odisha coast last night at a wind speed of over 220kmph, uprooting thousands of trees with some falling on residents, claiming lives of about twenty three in Ganjam district, the worst affected by Phailin. As several electric poles were also uprooted, many parts of Odisha are still in darkness.
“In Andhra Pradesh, a 60-year-old man died in Bulivadu village of Srikakulam district following heavy downpour unleashed by the severe storm. A 27-year-old fisherman died in his sleep in the early hours today in a relief camp at Kaviti” confirmed S.N. Pantro, an official at the Odisha Revenue and Disaster management. This has therefore taken the death toll to 15 so far.
“There might not have been any major loss to life but so far 14,514 villages in 12 districts have been affected, hitting a population of 8,53,620”, he further added.
A cargo ship, MV Bingo, is believed to have sunk in the rough seas caused by cyclonic storm Phailin with its crew on a lifeboat last sighted east of Sagar in West Bengal.
However current forecast have some good news in store for people. “Cyclone Phailin has already started to weaken, turning from a ‘very severe’ cyclonic storm into a cyclonic storm. It will further weaken and form a depression by tonight. Wind speed of over 200 kmph will therefore reduce and settle between 80 to 100 kmph”, added Mahesh Palawat.
So far heavy rain of more than 100mm in many parts of Odisha and Andhra have flooded more than 39 villages and a flood warning has already been issued in Bihar as widespread heavy rains are expected in its wake.
With cyclone Phailin losing its intensity, the East Coast Railway restored train services between Howrah and Puri. Though, with the communication lines down, the full extent of the damage caused by the cyclone is yet to be ascertained.
