Property worth around Rs 10 crore has been lost in Vyasanagar Municipality area due to the recent cyclone Phailin and the ensuing heavy rains, said chairperson of the civic body Sabita Rout and Executive Officer Dr Srikanta Kumar Das.
This huge loss has been incurred due to damages caused to roads, drains, schools and other public places. Briefing about the precautionary measures taken by the Municipality before the devastating cyclone hit, Rout said, 30 shelter camps in the 26 wards of the Municipality had been started in which about 2,475 people took shelter for three days. In addition, free kitchens were also run to feed them. To meet emergency, the civic body had taken steps to provide bread, chuda, sugar, biscuits and candles to the affected people.
“We spent Rs 2,50,000 from our own fund to meet the above expenses,” Sabita Rout said. Around 2,000 houses have been partially damaged and 30 houses have fully collapsed due to waterlogging in the different wards. Around 50 roads, including a 6 km long drain in Vyasanagar Municipality, have been badly damaged.
“Since there was no electricity, we supplied drinking water in tankers to every ward. Our Councillors and Municipality staff took extra effort on these three days to rise to the occasion,” said the chairperson.