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India's Cyclone Phailin: Thousands marooned by floods | India's Cyclone Phailin: Thousands marooned by floods |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Workers are battling to rescue tens of thousands of people marooned by rising flood waters in Orissa, after the state was hit by the strongest cyclone in 14 years. | Workers are battling to rescue tens of thousands of people marooned by rising flood waters in Orissa, after the state was hit by the strongest cyclone in 14 years. |
Flood waters have left nearly 100,000 people stranded in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, officials say. | Flood waters have left nearly 100,000 people stranded in Mayurbhanj and Balasore districts, officials say. |
Twenty-seven people were killed in the cyclone and floods - all but one of the deaths were in Orissa. | |
A flood alert has been also sounded in the neighbouring state of Bihar. | A flood alert has been also sounded in the neighbouring state of Bihar. |
There are fears of heavy rainfall in at least two dozen districts after the weakened storm changed course and moved towards northern parts of Bihar bordering Nepal, officials say. | There are fears of heavy rainfall in at least two dozen districts after the weakened storm changed course and moved towards northern parts of Bihar bordering Nepal, officials say. |
Cyclone Phailin crashed into eastern India over the weekend and flattened many coastal homes, uprooted trees and blocked roads in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states. | Cyclone Phailin crashed into eastern India over the weekend and flattened many coastal homes, uprooted trees and blocked roads in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states. |
But the evacuation effort - described by officials as "the biggest in India's history for such an event" - ensured the death toll remained low. | But the evacuation effort - described by officials as "the biggest in India's history for such an event" - ensured the death toll remained low. |
As the storm weakened a vast relief operation got under way to help up to one million displaced people. | As the storm weakened a vast relief operation got under way to help up to one million displaced people. |
'Cause of concern' | 'Cause of concern' |
Now in Orissa major rivers including Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha are high, leading to flooding in two districts, officials say. | Now in Orissa major rivers including Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha are high, leading to flooding in two districts, officials say. |
Disaster management workers helped by the army and navy have been deployed to perform rescue operations. | Disaster management workers helped by the army and navy have been deployed to perform rescue operations. |
"We are starting to air drop food packets in Balasore district. The flood situation there is a cause of concern," Orissa Revenue and Disaster Management Minister SN Patro told the Press Trust of India news agency. | "We are starting to air drop food packets in Balasore district. The flood situation there is a cause of concern," Orissa Revenue and Disaster Management Minister SN Patro told the Press Trust of India news agency. |
Separately, hundreds of thousands of people who were evacuated before the cyclone have begun returning to their homes. | Separately, hundreds of thousands of people who were evacuated before the cyclone have begun returning to their homes. |
Many, however, remain in temporary shelters because their villages and homes have been destroyed or inundated. | Many, however, remain in temporary shelters because their villages and homes have been destroyed or inundated. |
The massive storm made landfall on Saturday evening, with winds of about 200 km per hour (125mph). It began weakening on Sunday as it made its way north-west. | The massive storm made landfall on Saturday evening, with winds of about 200 km per hour (125mph). It began weakening on Sunday as it made its way north-west. |
But the intense storm has made more than half-a-million people homeless, state government officials said. | But the intense storm has made more than half-a-million people homeless, state government officials said. |
The storm tore down power and communication lines and knocked out road and rail links, making an assessment difficult. | The storm tore down power and communication lines and knocked out road and rail links, making an assessment difficult. |
An estimated 5,000 sq km of mostly paddy crops have been destroyed, causing a loss of some $320m (£220m). | An estimated 5,000 sq km of mostly paddy crops have been destroyed, causing a loss of some $320m (£220m). |