Odisha was mercifully spared of the eye of cyclonic storm Hudhud that hit the coast in north Andhra Pradesh on Sunday noon.
Though the south Odisha districts such as Ganjam and Gajapati experienced a wind speed of 60-70 km per hour (kmph) along with intermittent rainfall in the evening, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Rayagada bore the brunt of the gale as heavy rains lashed the two districts while they were struck by a wind speed of over 90 kmph.
The people, who have experienced wind speed of 270-80 kmph during the Super Cyclone in 1999 and 210-20 kmph during Phailin in 2013, were much panicked about the Hudhud’s movement. Though the cyclone’s impact was minimal in several other districts, its severity, nonetheless, was felt in Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts.
Trees were blown off in several areas of the south Odisha and fell on the roads disrupting communication. Around 50 mud houses collapsed due to heavy rain in Koraput, Ganjam, Gajapati and Malkangiri districts.
As it was a new experience for the people of Koraput and Malkangiri, the tribal people had gone apprehensive with the cyclone prediction and evacuation. Koraput districts’ Pottangi area, which is on the Andhra border, witnessed heavy rainfall. Around 15 houses were damaged there, reports said.
One Udaynath Sahu of Siddheswar village under Digapahandi police limits in Ganjam district was killed when a wall of his house fell on him. No eventuality occurred in Rayagada and Malkangiri when the report was last filed.
As per the Met office sources, by 5.30 pm on Sunday, Rayagada district received 422.6 mm rainfall, Gajapati district 304 mm, Gopalpur 68.5 mm, Brahampur 68.3mm, Koraput headquarters town 66.6mm, Puri 44.8 mm and Pottangi 33mm.
The IMD’s evening bulletin predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two places over districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Kalahandi, Nayagarh,Khurda, Puri, Nuapada, Boudh,Balangir, Sonepur and Phulbani of south Odisha during next 12 hours. It also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at one or two places in districts of north Odisha during next 12 hours and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places in districts of north Odisha in subsequent 24 hours.
The bulletin said the wind speed of 70-80 kmph in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts would gradually decrease bymidnight and again, the wind will become insignificant by Monday morning.
Similarly, rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places would occur over south Odisha and isolated heavy to very heavy falls over north Odisha, the Met sources said.