Cyclone Fani: PM Narendra Modi speaks to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, assures full support from Centre

PM has assured full support from Centre to the Odisha govt.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of the Cyclone Fani unleashing a trail of destruction, claiming at least 10 lives, across the state. 

According to news agency ANI, the PM spoke to the Odisha Chief Minister and assured all necessary assistance from the Centre inrestoring normalcy across the cyclone-hit state.

''Spoke to Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik Ji and discussed situation prevailing due to Cyclone Fani. Assured continuous support from Central Government in the wake of the cyclone. The entire nation stands in solidarity with all those affected by the cyclone in different parts of the state,'' the PM said.

PM Modi further said ''day after tomorrow, on 6th morning, I will be going to Odisha to take stock of the situation arising in the wake of  Cyclone Fani.''

Puri, where the cyclone made landfall, was the most hit by the severe cyclonic storm, which entered  West Bengal post midnight and unleashed heavy rainfall in the state.

CM Patnaik held a review meeting with senior officials on the destruction caused by cyclonic storm Fani in the state on Friday.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Patnaik said that in the past 24 hours, over 12 lakh people have been evacuated from vulnerable districts to safer locations.

"Just now, I reviewed the cyclone situation with the state's Chief Secretary and other senior officers. Our first priority is to evacuate people living in vulnerable areas, including kutcha houses. In the last 24 hours, 12 lakh people have been evacuated to safer locations and they are being taken care of in shelters. As we speak, Fani is still passing through Odisha, and an assessment of damage will be possible only after it crosses the state," he said. 
"Restoration of electricity is a challenge. Electricity supply will be restored in Ganjam by Saturday. Restoration of communication has been completed in Ganjam and Gajapati districts," Patnaik added. 

Quick Reaction Team of Navy from INS Chilka provided emergency assistance in nearby villages in cutting and clearing of trees which had fallen due to the cyclonic storm. 

The team also conducted mobile medical camps at various villages around Chilka.

A primary school in the nearby village of Gadadwar in Khurdha district was functioning as a shelter station and was also the venue for a community kitchen to cater to the locals in the region. 

In the wake of the aftermath of the cyclone, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhubaneswar has rescheduled PG entrance examination for July session till further orders. 

The exam was earlier scheduled to take place on May 5.

Cyclone Fani made landfall in the morning of May 3 and wreaked havoc in the state of Odisha. 

So far, it claimed 10 lives and left more than 160 injured, besides causing large scale destruction of property in Odisha.

Cyclone Fani, one of the strongest storms to batter the Indian subcontinent in decades, entered West Bengal post midnight on Saturday, hours after making landfall and causing havoc in Odisha on Friday.

According to the Meteorological department, the extremely severe cyclonic storm relatively weakened after entering coastal Odisha and transformed into "very severe" as it approached West Bengal.

Wind gusting at over 100 kmph, accompanied by heavy rains, Fani lashed cities and towns in coastal Bengal including Digha, Mandarmani, Tajpur and Contai while the effects of the storm could also be felt in cities like Kharagpur and Burdwan as trees were uprooted and metal hoardings gave way.

Parts of Kolkata and the suburbs also received moderate to heavy rainfall since Friday afternoon.