Cyclone Fani: Death toll mounts to 16 in Odisha, relief work underway as storm barrels towards Bangladesh

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is actively involved in the rescue and rehabilitation operations while the Indian Coast Guard is distributing food and water packets to the affected people. Read | Cyclone Fani: Naveen Patnaik praises rescue efforts

The death toll in Odisha has climbed up to 16. The Indian Railways has resumed its operations from Bhubaneswar, while the Airports Authority of India tweeted that flight operations from Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport and Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport have resumed in the evening.

Here’s what all happened in the day:

14 feared dead, 63 injured in Bangladesh

At least 14 people were feared dead and 63 injured in Bangladesh as cyclone Fani hit the country. Local media reported that the 14 deaths from eight districts, including Noakhali, Bhola and Lakshmipur, which were among the places worst-hit by the cyclone. The dead also included a two-year-old boy and four women, PTI said. Bangladesh authorities said over 1.6 million people were shifted to safer places as about 36 villages were flooded after the storm surge breached embankments in the country’s coastal areas.

A tree seen uprooted in Kolkata as cyclone Fani makes landfall. (PTI)

PM Modi reviews situation

PM Modi Saturday spoke to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Governor Professor Ganeshi Lal Ji and West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to take stock of the situation after the menacing cyclone left a trail of destruction behind. He tweeted about both the conversations and added that he will visit Odisha on Monday. “Day after tomorrow, on the 6th morning, I will be going to Odisha to take stock of the situation arising in the wake of Cyclone Fani,” he tweeted.

Read | Hyundai starts emergency road service to aid cyclone affected customers

Naveen Patnaik lauds rescue efforts

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday lauded the rescue operations undertaken in the aftermath of the cyclone. He said at least 12 lakh people were evacuated from the affected areas before the cyclone made its landfall, adding that the number was a record in itself. He said, “A record of 1.2 million people were evacuated in 24 hours, 3.2 lakh from Ganjam, 1.3 lakh from Puri and almost 7000 kitchens catering to 9,000 shelters were made functional overnight. This mammoth exercise involved more than 45,000 volunteers.” Read | ‘Unsung heroes’: Odisha cops win hearts for rescuing people against all odds in wake of cyclone Fani

A dog walks under an uprooted tree following cyclone Fani in Khordha district in Odisha. (Reuters)

PM Modi, Amit Shah’s rallies in Bengal re-scheduled

On Friday, BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya had said the party has re-scheduled Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah’s rallies in West Bengal in view of cyclone Fani. Vijayvargiya said, “We have rescheduled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rallies that were slated on May 5 at Tamluk and Jhargram. Those rallies will be held on May 6. Similarly, we have postponed Amit Shah’s rallies at Ghatal, Midnapore and Bishnupur from May 6 to May 7. We believe that elections come and go, but it is more important to engage in public service at this moment. All our karyakartas will be on the ground to help the affected people.”

Commuters ride past damage caused by cyclone Fani in the Penthakata fishing village of Puri, Odisha. (AP)

NDRF, Coast Guard start rescue, restoration operations

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Coast Guard started with the rescue, restoration, and rehabilitation operations. The Indian Coast Guard deployed ships and helicopters in Odisha to carry out search and rescue operations in the districts affected by the cyclone. The official handle of the Coast Guard tweeted, “While 02 @CoastGuard Ships and 01 Helicopter deployed off #Odisha Coast continue to look for marooned fishing boats at sea if any #Haldia dock reports operational normal as of now.”

Read | Cyclone Fani causes heavy rain in Tripura, Met office warns of more showers

Flight resume operations from Bhubaneswar

The Airports Authority of India Saturday evening said flight operations to and from Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport have resumed. Budget carrier IndiGo resumed its flight operations from Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport and Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. From Bhubaneswar, the operations resumed at 5:20 pm, while from Kolkata, the flight operations resumed at 3:30pm onwards.

A fish vendor struggles to hold onto his umbrella against the fast blowing wind in Guwahati. (PTI)

Train services to resume from tomorrow in Bhubaneswar

The Indian Railways said it will resume all its train services running from Bhubaneswar on Sunday. However, two trains originating from Bhubaneswar will not resume, and services to Puri are unlikely to begin before May 10, news agency PTI reported. JP Mishra, the spokesperson of the East Coast Railway, said, “Train services will run normally from Bhubaneshwar from tomorrow, May 5. This is for originating trains from Bhubaneshwar. Puri has been affected, but since it’s not on the mainline, train services will not be affected.”