Cyclone Phailin

Cyclone Phailin has left a trail of destruction killing at least 23 people, knocking down lakhs of houses and affecting over 1 crore people in Odisha alone.

As the largest evacuation efforts in the country's recent history helped keep casualties to the minimum, reports from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on Sunday night said that 23 people died, all but two of them in Odisha. Most of the casualties were caused by wall collapse, uprooted trees and in floods.

According to the IMD, Phailin weakened further turning into "deep depression" with wind speed of 45-55 kmph and lay over northern Chhattisgarh, parts of Orissa and Jharkhand on Sunday night.

A Panama-registered cargoship MV Bingo carrying iron ore was reported to have sunk in rough seas in the impact of the cyclone off the coast of West Bengal, but the crew were spotted in a lifeboat by a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the primary aim was to minimise loss of human lives and they have successfully managed to do so. "Property to the tune of several crores has been damaged...Rehabilitation will now be done."

With over 1 crore people hit by cyclone Phailin in Odisha that left a trail of destruction, the State government on Sunday announced food assistance packages for the families living in affected villages.

Food assistance

Mr. Patnaik announced food assistance packages of 14 days and 7 days for 'very severely affected' and 'severely affected' villages respectively.

"The families in severely affected villages in need of support will be provided food assistance for 14 days. They will get 50 kg of rice and Rs. 400 cash each for dal per family," Mr. Patnaik said.

Similarly, Mr. Patnaik said the families living in severely affected villages will get seven days relief. They will get 25 kg of rice and Rs. 200 for dal as food assistance.

The fishermen, who were prevented to go into the sea for fishing because of the cyclone, will be given 10 kg of rice each for loss of livelihood, the Chief Minister said.

People who have lost standing crop and their houses damaged in the calamity will be given assistance after due assessment as per norms, the Chief Minister said.

So far the government has identified 1,02,65,872 people as affected by the devastating cyclone.