By Purushottam Nayak
Balasore: The diocese of Balasore was among areas severely hit by Cyclone Yaas that on May 26 pummeled the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal states in eastern India.
“The strong wind and heavy rain broke the trees and damaged the houses in many parts of the diocese,” Father Lijo George, director of Balasore Social Service Society, told Matters India.
He termed as “heart breaking” the sight of the suffering of the poor who are already reeling under the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said his organization “will not leave a stone unturned to reach out to the suffering in the days ahead.”
The Cyclone Yaas made landfall in Odisha on the morning of May 26 with a wind speed of 140 kmph. At least four people died as the cyclone pounded several coastal towns of north Odisha and neighboring West Bengal. This was the second cyclonic storm to hit India within a week of ‘Tauktae’ barrelled into its western coast, causing death and destruction.
Reports of two persons dying in Odisha after trees fell on them also emerged, but there was no official confirmation. Another elderly woman in Mayurbhanj reportedly died after her house collapsed.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that a person, who was initially rescued, died “accidentally” later.
While Odisha shifted 580,000 people to safer places, as many as 1.5 million were evacuated by authorities in West Bengal.
At least 10 million people were affected in West Bengal. Over 300,000 houses suffered damage, Banerjee told reporters.
High alert was sounded in Jharkhand, north of Odisha, as the cyclone made ways inland.
Disaster Management Secretary Amitabh Kaushal said that operations were being executed on war-footing in the vulnerable areas in East and West Singhbhum, besides some other districts, in view of the storm.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren directed officials to be on their toes to deal with any emergency situation. The state has already suspended all Covid-19 related activities till Thursday in some parts of the state in view of heavy rainfall and lightning, besides high-speed wind which is likely to uproot trees.
In Odisha, seawater entered several villages in Bahanaga and Remuna blocks in Balasore district, and Dhamra and Basudevpur in Bhadrak district.
Father George said the cyclone broke the trees in the premises of the bishop’s residence, a convent and the office of his organization.
He said the diocese has sheltered more than 100 cyclone affected people in its St Mary’s Boys Hostel, Krishnachandrapur, Mayurbhanj district.
Father Jojo Chakalamattath, parish priest of St Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Krishnachandrapur, said they take care of the affected people in collaboration with the district administration.
Father George said the cyclone left hundreds of villagers homeless in Balasore districts as the sea water destroyed their thatched houses.
“The situation has worsened due to the high tide. The worst affected districts are Baleswar and Bhadrak. Many villages are under water,” the priest said.
He said their staff and volunteers now assess the situation to launch relief and rehabilitation work.
Odisha has suffered several cyclones in the past. A super cyclone in 1999 killed at least 9,885 people and destroying nearly 1.65 million houses.