Deputy Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Prabhat Ranjan Mahapatra on Thursday informed that crops have been damaged in six districts and three people have been killed due to unseasonal rains in the last few days in the State.
“Major damages to crops and houses have been reported in six districts due to the unseasonal rain and Bargarh remains the most affected,” said Mahapatra.
“We have received the preliminary report on whirlwind and hailstorm from Bargarh, Jajpur, Subarnapur, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj and Baleswar. According to the report, three people have died. The report also mentions damages to crops and houses,” said the Deputy SRC.
“The crop loss assessment has not been done yet as it is just the initial report,” he added.
While two persons were killed after tree branches fell on them in Baleswar and Bargarh districts during the rain, another person was killed in wall collapse in Mayurbhanj district.
A compensation amount of Rs 5.31 lakh has been given to the family of the Mayurbhanj deceased and the Special Relief Commissioner has assured compensation for other cases after receiving reports from the respective district Collectors, he said.
Meanwhile, all the concerned Collectors have been directed to submit reports at the earliest, Mahapatra informed, adding that till March 31, as many as 456 people have died because of lightning. The families of these deceased will be given a compensation amount of Rs 5 lakh each.
Meanwhile, Nor’wester rains wreaked havoc in many places of Rayagada and Malkangiri districts on Thursday night.
Sources said three persons sustained critical injuries in two separate incidents in Khairput block of Malkangiri district after tree branches fell on them during the storm.
Besides, vehicular communication on Malkangiri-Jeypore road near Govindapalli Square has been disrupted as several roadside trees were uprooted during the Nor’wester.
Similarly, heavy rains accompanied by strong wind lashed many parts of Rayagada district leaving a trail of destructions. While many thatched houses and crops were damaged, power supply was disrupted in several areas.