Has the Odisha Government Launched a Survey on Losses from Cyclone Montha?
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Bhubaneswar, Oct 30 (NationPress) The Odisha government has initiated an extensive survey to evaluate the damage inflicted by intense rainfall and landslides resulting from Cyclone Montha across various districts of the state, as stated by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Thursday.
In a briefing to the press, Pujari mentioned that the cyclone struck the state during the crucial harvesting season, impacting crops that were either nearing harvest or in the process of being harvested in numerous regions. The heavy rainfall induced by the cyclone has led to significant destruction of standing crops, particularly rice, cotton, and vegetables, across several districts.
“The assessment of damages caused by the cyclone-induced heavy rainfall commenced today. We have tasked all district administrations to finalize the damage evaluation within three days,” remarked the Minister.
He further noted that within the next 72 hours, all affected districts are required to submit comprehensive reports detailing losses to crops, homes, roads, public infrastructure, and agricultural land. “Once the reports are received, the government will take swift action to ensure relief and rehabilitation for the impacted families,” Pujari stated.
The Minister elaborated that officials from districts experiencing little to no damage will be temporarily reassigned to aid in the assessment of the most severely impacted areas. “We have decided to mobilize revenue department officials from regions with minimal impact to expedite the damage estimation process in the affected zones,” he added.
Pujari mentioned that District Collectors and departmental officers have been instructed to maintain heightened readiness and implement all necessary measures for rapid restoration efforts. “Each department has been instructed to collaborate effectively to ensure that damaged infrastructure and essential services are restored as quickly as possible,” he said.
Furthermore, the Minister pointed out that landslides have surfaced as a new challenge in certain hilly areas, particularly in Gajapati district, which has not been previously known for such occurrences. “Landslides have become a pressing issue in some regions of the state. We will closely analyze their patterns and devise an action plan to mitigate future risks,” Pujari explained.
He also indicated that the state government will formulate a specialized disaster management strategy to tackle similar situations in the future, ensuring enhanced inter-departmental coordination to address landslides and secondary hazards resulting from extreme weather events.