Odisha: Memories Of 2013 Cyclone Phailin Still Haunt People In Ganjam district

The scene of devastation caused by Cyclone Phailin in 2013 still haunts the people of Ganjam, as the Odisha government prepares for another potential disaster that is likely to strike the state’s coastal areas early Friday.

According to the India Meteorological Department, a deep depression over east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm 'Dana' on Wednesday morning.

The storm is likely to move in a northwestward direction, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of Oct. 25 with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph, the IMD added.

At 5:30 a.m., the system lay 560 km southeast of Paradip and 630 km south-southeast of Sagar Island, it said.

On Oct. 12, 2013, Phailin made landfall near Gopalpur, destroying infrastructure in the district, claiming at least 15 lives, and damaging around 250,000 houses.

"When the district administration began preparing for the possible cyclone and prevented us from going to the sea for fishing, the memories of that dark night came flooding back," recalled M. Tateya, 65 from the coastal village of Aryapalli.

"During my lifetime, I will never forget the disaster caused by Phailin, which robbed me of all my belongings, including my thatched house,' said Laxmi, 50, of Jagdalpur.

Although she rebuilt her home with government assistance, she prays to God that such a cyclone does not repeat.

District Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida held a meeting with officials, emphasising the readiness of cyclone shelter centres.

"If needed, people in low-lying and vulnerable areas will be evacuated to these centres,' a senior officer said.

The Collector has ordered all government employees to remain at their workplaces and prohibited anyone from leaving without permission. The administration is particularly focused on the five coastal blocks - Ganjam, Rambha, Khallikote, Rangeilunda, and Chikiti.

Fishermen in the coastal villages have been barred from fishing since Monday.

"We are spreading awareness in all coastal villages from early morning, advising them not to go to sea until Oct. 26," said Subrat Patnaik, additional district fishery officer (marine).

Fishermen who were on the sea and in Chilika Lake around the Rambha area have started returning, following the administration's directives, sources said.