Cyclone Titli Leaves A Trail Of Devastation, Aid Operations Nominal 

It's been more than a week since Cyclone Titli devastated the district of Srikakulam, but the cyclone victims are yet to receive any aid or relief. Many of the victims are yet to get food packets, drinking water and other relief supplies. The power supply to many villages is yet to be restored showing a clear failure in the TDP administration in providing basic relief to the flood-hit victims.

People of Srikakulam are spending sleepless nights with the cyclone having damaged their houses. Some of them are to yet to receive basic rations and drinking water with road and rail connectivity also damaged.

Extent of Damage

The District of Srikakulam is in a state of devastation, where in the 38 mandals affected more than 25 mandals have been completely damaged due to Vamsadhara, Mahendrathanaya and Bahuda rivers flooding the mandals. 25 mandals are yet to get power supply as the electricity poles are not fixed. Drinking water provision has been made as per Minister Kala Venkata Rao statement, but that is limited to a few villages whereas other villages are yet to receive it.

The cyclone also hit the rural water supply schemes and bore wells, leaving the inhabitants with acute scarcity of drinking water. To repair the generators and water pumps would take quite a long time and with no electricity it is a pointless exercise.

Water supply to the villages under the Tekkali division have been hit and water pumps have been damaged and even though the govt is trying to supply water using fire engines it is limited only to the areas which are accessible by road. Taking advantage of the situation private water suppliers are selling cans worth Rs 20 at Rs 100 and in some areas there is a war-like situation with people fighing for water when the water tankers come to supply water .

Basic Relief Material yet to reach victims

Victims are getting a poor response from the official machinery when it comes to supply of relief material and its failure to supply even basic water and food packets in remote areas. The government should have ensured airdropping of food and water sachets at least is what they are saying.

Essential items like rice, dal, oil and sugar which are to be provided by the civil supplies dept are yet to reach the depots because of bad roads and it may take more than three days for supplies to reach these villages.

Families affected

Officials estimate that Cyclone Titli has damaged close to 2.75 lakh families but the numbers could be more than that as per revenue records.The the govt machinery is yet to start clearing the fallen trees and debris, forcing people to voluntarily clean their surroundings. Restoration work of buildings, schools and govt buildings also is yet to start.

Fear of Outbreak of diseases

Adding to the victims' woes, there is a major fear of outbreak of diseases in the cyclone-hit villages. Overflowing drainages, rotting garbage piles, debris and slush have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects, adding to the misery of the locals. The power outage has also compounded their woes.

There is also a fear of water-borne diseases affecting them and the people are literally begging the government to send candles and mosquito repellants to tide through the situation. A candle worth ten rupees is being sold for Rs 50, a clear case of exploitation by the shop keepers, they complained .

District Administration busy with CM and Ministers

Along with Chief Minster Chandrababu Naidu, 15 state ministers, 38 IAS ofiicers and 180 Special Duty officers are camping in the district of Srikakulam. For the residents though, it has become more of a bane than a boon as the district revenue officials are busy attending to the ministers and higher officials. With the CM suspending district officials on grounds of laxity, most of them are busy running around his convoy, which is further affecting the relief and rescue operations in Srikakulam, the residents complained.

Also Read:Cyclone Titli Hits Southern Power Grid