The families, who lost their near and dear ones to the Super Cyclone 15 years back, plunged into profound mourning as they observed the Shraddha rituals at several villages in Kendrapada district on Wednesday.

Amid chanting of mantras by Brahmins and community feasts, relatives and fellow villagers paid tribute to the departed souls as per Hindu tradition. The cataclysmic aftereffects are still intact in several backward villages.

As many as 546 lives were lost and 1,308 villages across nine blocks and two towns were ravaged in the cyclone.

The trauma of losing wife and four children still haunts Amar Maharana (61), a rickshaw puller of Kendrapada town. “I cannot forget them,” said a weeping Amar while reminiscing that ill-fated day. “With the ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh, I have managed to rebuild my life. But the scar of their loss is deeply etched in my mind,” he said.

Similarly, for  Rajaram Pal  and Malati  Patra of Sandhakuda slum,  life has come to a full circle aftermath the Super Cyclone. While Rajaram had lost his eight family members, Malati lost all of her six family members. Rajaram and Malati married to lead life anew, thanks to the support of villagers.

On Wednesday, the district administration observed the Odisha Disaster Preparedness Day and National Day for Disaster Education at the Pentha Cyclone shelter.

Sri Sri Jagannath Mahavidyalaya students organised a cycle rally to mark the occasion. Among others, Forests and Environment Secretary RK Sharma, District Collector Pramod Kumar Das, SP Satish Kumar Gajavhiye attended the meeting.