Cyclone Fani came and went and this is about 4 to 5 days now. Puri market is slowly opening. Now, in the market the cost of lean candles are that of 80 to 120 rupees. No law enforcing authorities are stopping these people to sell at such high prices. Electricity is still not there. Water scarcity, and still that time no provisions of drinking water at our locality.

Eveready torches which takes one or three or four pencil batteries are now in the market. They are selling these torche at very high cost. After some time government offering these torches free of cost and to each person with Adhar Card one torches and these are there nearer to main police station of Puri town.

Suddenly, neighbour came and said that the persons of local councillor came here, and distributing some relief materials and they gave us one packet and for the first time we do feel the presence of government in some way after four to five days of Cyclone Fani.

Life in Puri, Odisha continues to grim three days after extremely severe cyclonic storm Fani

When I moved into Puri town after three to four days of onset of this cyclone I do find as if I were in at a different world. Post office, banks, ATMs each and every possible financial institutions were out of order. People needs money the liquidity of finance but not able to collect even for their own accounts. Summer is at its extreme peak.

There is no chances of any wind and the heat of summer is at its peak. Ours terrace asbestos completely broken so direct sun light comes into it and that makes the environment warmer. I could see there are no chances of anywhere the presence of rescue operations as trees are broken and the amount of destruction in and around Puri town is clearly visible. We received some relief material and with it comes dried rice, some candles, some biscuit packets and some match box.

Dried rice helps us immensely in these tiring and disturbing situation. For first time after Cyclone Fani we ate rice and dalma cooked by mummy at home. Till then we are eating foods brought from outside as such is the tiresome moments with no water and electricity we tend to move towards the state of an era of before christ the age of dark ages.

In the mean time my younger sister underwent severe surgery at Apollo Hospital Chennai, 10 days before the advent of Cyclone Fani and she was also feeling the brunt of difficulties with it and each day a compounder comes to dressing her wounds after surgery and he used to take 200 rupees for the 10 minute dressing.

Daddy bought 8 large torches and my younger sister’s 4 year old son used to be afraid of dark and use to take two torches in his hand and show to the roof so that light will always with him. He used to switched on torches and hold two in his hand and show to the rood of rooms in order to remove the darkness and the eagerness of the four year child is completely eminent.

In the meantime Khuntia Petrol Pump which is at the heart of Puri town opens with generators and this used to remove the worries of people who have plenty of worries of collecting petrols at high rates from collecting outside at according to people outside petrol pumps the cost of petrol was almost 200 rupees per litre. With opening up petrol pumps on 6th of May three days aftermath of Cyclone Fani major worries of people of having petrols or diesels for their vehicles gone for the time being.

Opening up of terrace door three days after Cyclone Fani:

In the Cyclone Fani, the rooftop of terrace asbestos flied to somewhere and the door of terrace which is the entrance towards terrace locked and difficult to open. Due to cyclone and rain entire roof top is covered with water due to presence of large number of branches of trees as well as that of glasses that comes from nearby Vishal Mega Mart glassed windows.

Despite trying hard we cannot open the terrace door situated at the end of high rise steps at home. We have to find the alternative route, as from the side of neighbour, their steps is blocked due to fall of coconut trees as well as glasses and other materials which flies from anywhere due to onset of Cyclone Fani.

So, we decided to move to terrace from the side of opening up asbestos but some how with the help of large tables I reach at the top but moving to the down is difficult. As the parts of cement structures which break when asbestos flied stopped me to jump from the top to the surface of terrace. That means the second strategy to break into terrace flopped and now we have to strategise another strategy to open up terrace as the water is not moving there from anywhere and it can weaken the roof top out from there.

Now, me and daddy came to entrance of ours home and from there through boundaries I climbed into walls and then into terrace and then I reached towards the main door of terraces which locked due to force of Cyclone Fani, and I had to remove the support of door which was made of cement and iron and then after almost trying hard for 15 minutes the door finanly opens and daddy came to terrace and we both cleared all branceh, glasses and other flying objects roaming here and there.

After removing all of these, finally, we cleared all obstacles that garbaged nearer to drains of terrace and then the water which was stored as the result of this removed from there and terrace blockage of doors and blockages of waters completely removed from that position.
When the nigh came, it appeared as if we were entering into an era of pre-historic days where there is no power supply, no water.

People used to not to venture out to market after eight pm of night as there was no electricity in Puri town, entire route was filled with darkness and there were rumours that thugs from outside states came to this town with gangs and can attack people and loot money by taking the help of darkness and for this after eight pm entire Puri town compelled to sleep of stayed at home.

Originally published at https://mohanmekap.com on May 30, 2019.