Narsinghpur: The Kalabaisakhi storm caused extensive damage in the Narsinghpur and Niali blocks of Cuttack district. A woman and two cows died after trees fell on them. Electric poles were also uprooted, and power lines were snapped, plunging the region into darkness for an extended period.
In Batabhui village of Narsinghpur block, a large mango tree fell on a cow, killing it instantly. The cow belonged to Binei Nayak. Two other cows were reported injured. Bhudhar Sahu’s poultry farm suffered total destruction due to the storm. In Khaduani village under Debabhui panchayat, a mango tree fell on the houses of Sujati Pradhan and Prabhat Dehury, damaging them severely.
In several villages such as Gurujang, Muliapada, Ainsia, Jilinda, Kathakhunta, Gopalpur, Ransinghpur, Janpur, Achhanda, and Lemo, trees fell and damaged electric poles and snapped wires, causing prolonged power outages. Gurujang experienced more than 15 hours of power cut. Gopalpur, Nijigada, Paikpada Patana, Nuapatana, and Dimiria panchayats also reported disruptions in electricity supply. There have been demands for government aid to the affected families.
In Niali block, the storm struck at around 9:40 PM on Saturday and lasted for just 50 minutes, but left behind a trail of destruction. Heavy rain and thunder caused long-term power disruptions across the region. In Nuabetanda village of Krushnaprasad panchayat, a 42-year-old woman named Kunilata Sahu died after a palm tree fell on her and her cow while she was taking the cow to the shed. The cow died on the spot, and Kunilata was declared dead at SCB Medical College, Cuttack.
On receiving news of the incident, Niali Tehsildar Lilan Prasad Sahu, Panchayat representative Pramod Kumar Bhoi, local police, and revenue officials visited the family to offer condolences and assured them of assistance.
Due to numerous fallen trees on the Odisha State Highway 60 connecting Adaspur and Niali, traffic was halted for three hours. Power supply was disrupted for over 20 hours, keeping people in darkness. Farmers reported that their paddy crops were destroyed.
Distressed by the loss, many farmers were seen with their heads in their hands. Despite 24 hours passing since the incident, no officials from the Niali Agriculture, Horticulture, or Animal Husbandry departments had visited to assess the damage, prompting complaints from the affected farmers.