PHAILIN Cyclone Update @ 01.30 PM on 13th October 2013

Latest Update from Water Initiatives Odisha!

The Super Cyclone PHAILIN has devastated Odisha.  Even though human casualties have been very limited due to the timely evacuation work, agriculture in the state has been completely doomed.  Following is the latest update in key points:

- Land fall occurred at about 9.15 PM on 12th October at Gopalpur coast and has devastated the coastal belt.  It has also affected the hinterlands and is now moving in the following direction

As per google crisis map, the cyclone is about to reach Sambalpur and then will move onto Chhatisgarh along Mahanadi, as per the following direction:

Dashpur - Bargaon - Talpadar - Reliance Petrol Pump at Goshala - Side of Jyoti Vihar - just above Hirakud reservoir's Power House and into the reservoir - Kurtipali - Patrapali - Reservoir - Singharpur - Hills - Keshar Jhima - Rakhasbudha - Khutnipali - Laubahal - Bildhipa - Jampali - Tangraghat - Nagarmuda - Jamgir - Lalpur - Kenapada - and more...

(At the moment it is at a distance of about 30 to 35 kilometers from Sambalpur and the wind speed is 100 - 110 kmph and gusting speed is more than 120 kmph)

Govt. figures so far put the damage as following:

- Loss of property - 80 crore 53 lakh rupees loss

- 2 lakh homes damaged

- 14515 villages water 

- 39 towns affected

- 5 lakh ha farm land water logged

- 873000 evacuated

- 8 death (Ganjam - 2, Jagatsinghpur - 3, Khurda - 1, Balsore - 1 and Bhadrak -1)

- Roads, trees and electricity infrastructure have been hugely damaged.  The govt. says while it will restore electricity connectivity in all areas by this evening, in Ganjam district it will take at least a week.

However, independent sources put that at much more.  We are coordinating with member organisations and others and will come back with further information soon.

Please help the government as well as civil society in relief and rehabilitation operations.

Thanks and regards,

Ranjan

--
Ranjan K Panda

Convenor

Water Initiatives Odisha: Fighting water woes, combating climate change... more than two decades now!
INDIA

Mahanadi River Waterkeeper (Member, Waterkeeper Alliance, New York)

Lead, Water Core Group, NGO Forum on ADB, Manila

Mobile:             +919437050103      

Email: ranjanpanda@gmail.com, ranjanpanda@yahoo.com

You can also mail me at: ranjan.waterman@facebook.com

Skype: ranjan.climatecrusader

 Blog: http://www.climatecrusaders.blogspot.com/ 

 Please join our group 'Save Rivers Save Civilizations' at http://www.facebook.com/groups/220598744649462

Please join our new campaign https://www.facebook.com/ChildrenNeedWaterToPlay

 Water talks to me, I speak for Water...

Water Initiatives Odisha (WIO) is a coalition of civil society organisations, farmers, academia, media and other concerned, which has been working on water, environment and climate change issues in India for more than two decades now.