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Cuttack in grip of epidemic, collector sends SOS

An epidemic has broken out in several pockets of Cuttack, one of the worst hit districts in Orissa in Friday's cyclone. The district administration sent an SOS seeking immediate re-deployment of armed forces for the smooth distribution of relief material.

Collector Pradeep Jena said in Cuttack today that withdrawal of the army and other forces from Cuttack for deployment at Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara had seriously hampered relief work in the district which till now accounted for 115 deaths in the cyclone.

Thousands of starving people gheraoed all the 14 block offices demanding food. There were no trucks nor enough people around to carry on with relief work in the cyclone-ravaged areas.

Jena, who apprised state Finance Minister Raghunath Patnaik of the precarious situation, said ten of the 14 blocks were seriously affected by the epidemic and the casualty figure might not be less than 300.

Of the 115 deaths reported in the district so far, Salepur accounted for 38 deaths followed by Tangi Choudwar (37), Niali (20), Mahanga (12), Cuttack Sadar (five) and Cuttack city (three).

More than 90 per cent of the houses in the district had been damaged, Jena said adding that air dropping of food packets was ''absolutely required'' as hundreds of thousands of people were still marooned and no relief could be provided to them during the past six days in the absence of communication.

UNI

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