Toll in Cyclone Titli increases to 61

Bhubaneswar: The toll in Cyclone Titli and the subsequent floods in Odisha rose to 61, with the state government confirming four more casualties on Saturday.

Reports of the death of 11 more people were being verified at the district level, Chief Secretary A P Padhi said after a review of relief and restoration activities in the 17 affected districts.

He said four more people had died in the cyclone and the resultant floods.

The state government had submitted a preliminary report to the Centre on the damage caused by the cyclone and the flood, Padhi said, adding it sought Rs 1,000 crore as interim assistance.

Of the 61 deaths confirmed so far, three were fishermen from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. They died while fishing near Odisha coast and their bodies were recovered, he said.

On relief and restoration work in the calamity-hit districts, Padhi said the repair of all the roads, except in Sorada in Ganjam district and Daringbadi in Ganjam district, were completed.

He said the supply of drinking water to all urban local bodies (ULBs) and 570 out of a total of 650 villages in these districts were restored. The damagtube wellslls were repaired, the chief secretary added.

Power connectivity to about 90 per cent of the affected areas would be completed by October 22, Padhi said, adding 50 kg of rice was provided to each affected family in the worst hit Gajapati district.

Financial assistance to the tune of Rs 11 crore was disbursed among the affected families in Gajapati district, while the process was in the final stage in Ganjam district, he added.

Each family in Gajapati district was being given 50 kg rice and Rs 1,000 in cash as relief, while the affected families in Ganjam got 25 kg of rice and Rs 2,000 cash.

The chief secretary said about 57,000 houses were completely damaged and the Odisha government had sought sanction of houses under Pradham Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).