As it headed for a landfall in West Bengal on Wednesday afternoon, super cyclone Amphan caused widespread damage to the northern coast of Odisha, affecting about 45 lakh people in the state.
As per reports, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy has already apprised Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Guaba of the damage caused. Around 45 lakh people residing in 89 blocks have been affected by the fury of the storm.
It has been reported that about 30 lakh consumers are facing power disruption. However, aggressive repair work is underway and the officials expect to restore supply to 80% of the areas within the next 24 hours.
The cyclone has also brought despair to the agricultural sector and has left farmers in Bhadrak and Kendrapara concerned as their fields are immersed in saline water. This has turned the fields unfit for the upcoming Kharif crop.
“We have already completed tilling of the land and would have started sowing seeds in a week, just before the arrival of the monsoon. The saline ingression damaged the soil which is no longer fit for taking up paddy cultivation,” said Amulya Mandal, a farmer from the Chandbali area.
“The sluice gates connecting creeks with Baitarani and Matei rivers were poorly maintained. As a result of which, saline water easily found its way to the crop land,” he added.
Similarly, several other agricultural farmlands have been damaged in the nearby districts due to saline water inundation.