Cyclone and Flood situation assessment report

Background:

        Sever Cyclonic storm Phailin, which forced the highest evacuation in the history has played its havoc in coastal areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. A total of approximately more than eight lakh people are evacuated to cyclone centres and public schools. It disrupted the communication lines before weakening considerably on today morning. It made the land fall around 09.00 pm at Goaplpur continued for six hours with sever wind and rain in many districts of Odisha. 

     The affected districts are Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri,Kandhamal, Khorda, Nayaghargh, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar etc. Even though the speed of the wind has considerably gone down, still it is in the speed of 60 KMPH. Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri were some of the most affected districts by this devastating cyclone. Continuous rain from 11th night onwards is continuing in almost in many district of the state.

       According to Pradipta Kumar Mahapatra, the Special Relief Commissioner, "out of the total cultivable area of 3.6 million hectares (ha), 0.5 million has been affected due to the cyclonic storm. The crop loss has been estimated at Rs. 2,300 crore". In toto, Phailin has its impact more than eight million people in 13 districts - Puri, Ganjam, Phulbani, Nayaghargh, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Gajapati, Balasore, Bhadrak, Khorda and Keonhjar etc.          

          While the official human causality has been pegged at fifteen, ten of them are from Gajapati, and two of them are reported from Balasore district. One person from the Sadar Block and the other person from Khantapada (Bahanaga) according to the latest news from the OTV. So many trees and electrical posts also have fallen down which obstructing the traffic. Villagers are clearing the roads and helping the administration for a smooth traffic.

       According to a message from Skymet, As the cyclone Phailin moving further in north and north west direction and likely to weaken gradually. It would become depression and tomorrow enter into Jharkhand and Chhattisgargh. There is a forecast of 100-150 mm rain in Balasore Disrict.

In an interview given by Mr. Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, the Principal Secretary of Water Resource Department to OTV said that the rivers like Baitarini, Budabulango, Subarnorekha are crossing its danger level due to incessant rain in the north eastern part of Odisha. He added that it will result into flood.

Context:

      Understanding the gravity of the situation the President of BSSS Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Thiruttalil CM, along with Director Fr. Jojo C. V. had personally visited cyclone and flood affected areas of Balasore District. He was exhorting all the staff of BSSS to work whole heartedly for saving the life, livestock and property. As we were visiting some of these locations today, we could witness that the rivers are already overflowing and many low lying areas are submerged under water.

        Based on suggestion and the secondary information received from field level volunteers and Medias, a filed visit and consultation made by BSSS volunteers in worst affected villages of Jaleswar, Sadar, Basta of Balasore and Panchupalli of Keunjhar districts.

Visit Made by	Fr. Jojo C.V. (Director, BSSS) and Pradeep, Prabir, Chandrasekhar, Silu, Tulashi, Prakash (Staffs, BSSS)
Villages visited	Nalabhar, Dhandadi, Binjha, Sana Dhandadi, Sundarhata, Dandika, Rasalpur, Kusudiha, Sanakanja ,Srirampur, Mathani.
Objective	To understand the extent and type of damage; identify  the priority needs, most needy area and estimated affected households
Method	Direct observations, KII with affected men and women /PRIs and transact walk wherever possible.

The following problems were identified:

·        Many of these villages are not approachable due to which the detailed information are not available for time being. We also could witness that many of the villages are marooned under water as we were trying to enter into these villages. The rain is still continuing and water level is going high.

·        Even though many people had gone back to their own villages and respective houses, they came back to cyclone shelters and public schools due to incessant causing flood in their villages and fear of falling down of mud walls of their own houses.

·        There is no electricity in the village and kerosene is not available, even though it’s available in few places, it’s expensive.

·        Families are living in the open crowded building, in the back of the trucks  covering with  plastics . Families took shelter wherever they could and with whatever they could bring with them. Mostly in school buildings (Women particularly find the lack of privacy a concern and risk for children). Their houses likely to be collapsed and been suspected to damage. Even now, there is no chances of water receding, though the water level is highly increasing in Jalaka, Kansabansha and also in Subarnarekha.

·        Livestock lack fodder and are at risk of disease. A significant number of livestock are sure to have perished in the floods, and those that have been rescued face a risk of disease. 

·        Families are at risk due to poor hygiene and drinking untreated water, suspected to be suffer from disease.

·        Panchupally village of Anantapur sub-division of Keonjhar District is totally submerged under water due to the overflowing of Baitarini River.

·        Parikhi, Channua, of Balasore District and parts of Baripada of Mayurbhanj district are submerged under water due to the overflowing of Budabolanga River.

·        Sartha, Kasafal, Bahabalpur and many other villages of Jaleswar and Bhograi Blocks of Balaosre district are also under water due to Subarnarekha and Jalakha rivers.

·        There is high current in water and people are scared of getting drowned and swept away with flood water. Water of 2-2.5 feet level is currently inside villages.

·        Road communication cut-off to the villages sindhia,buanla, nagram,alanda sargoan, chhanua, bahabalpur (Partly) ,parikhi,Chasakhanda, Nizampur (Partly).

·        Different reports shows that, there is heavy rain started in Jharkhanda and Chhatishgad and the upper catchment areas of Mayurbhanja, which will again aggravate the flooding situation.