A curfew-like situation prevailed on Thursday from early hours in Srikakulam town and other parts of the district due to the impact of cyclone ‘Titli’.
The people, who had bitter experience with Phailin and Hudhud cyclones, did not take any chance and confined themselves to indoors the whole day. Almost all the shops and establishments in GT Road, Palakonda Road, 7-Road junction and other places remained closed .
Theatres cancelled shows in spite of the release of new movies. Many people particularly bachelors were the worst hit with the closure of all the hotels. The EPDCLAP officials snapped supply as more than 800 electric poles fell. “People could not get water facility. It happened mostly in apartments,” said Natukula Mohan, past president of the Srikakulam Rotary Central Club. “Fortunately, there is no property damage. It is a major relief this time,” he said.
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Telecommunication network was damaged in several parts particularly in the Tekkali division. With the collapse of many cell towers, the cellphones did not function disrupting relief operations of the district administration. Senior officials who stationed at the Collector’s office faced problems in getting accurate information.
IRCS gesture
People living in Santabommali, Kotabommali, Mandasa, Vajrapukotturu and other areas virtually lost contact with the world. Representatives of the BSNL and private telecommunication networks tried in vain to restore the network in Tekkali division though it was partially improved in the Srikakulam and the Palakonda divisions.
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Indian Red Cross Society and its wing Social and Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV) did commendable job in the affected villages such as Manchalapeta, Boppaipuram, Boddapadu, Parasarampuram and other areas. They cleared the roads and allowed smooth movement of traffic on the national highway. IRCS chairman P. Jaganmohan Rao and volunteers K. Kalyan, P. Srikanth, K. Satyanarayana and others participated in the relief operations.
Vizianagaram district witnessed heavy damage to crops, civic and individual poverty. Heavy rainfall from early hours threw life out of gear in 34 mandals. Fall of trees, collapse of old and tatched houses, blockage of road network and others were reported in several parts of the district. Three fishermen went missing as the sea which had been rough for the last couple of days. Vizianagaram Collector Hari Jawaharlal said several villages and 26 panchayats which were close to sea coast were affected badly. “Control rooms will continue to function for the next couple of days. The NDRF teams are requested to continue their services since roads were blocked in many places,” he said. Parvatipuram ITDA Project Director G. Lakshmi Sha visited various cyclone-affected areas and directed agriculture and revenue officials to assess the damage and submit a detailed report to the Collector.
CM rushes to Srikakulam
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reached Srikakulam, where he would be staying overnight to oversee the relief and rescue operations.
Jagan’s call
Special Correspondent in Vijayawada writes: YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked party leaders and workers to take part in the relief operations. In a release, he said cyclone ‘Titli’ had caused extensive damage and urged the State government to take up relief works immediately.