The serene farmlands of Odisha’s coastal districts, once vibrant and sunlit with the promise of an abundant harvest, now bear the scars of Cyclone Dana’s unforgiving fury. Just days before, farmers were eagerly preparing for the harvest, their fields rich with paddy, groundnut, and vegetables. Yet, on Friday morning, Dana swept through with relentless force, leaving fields submerged, crops destroyed, and the hopes of countless farmers shattered.
Gopal Chandra Bal, a paddy farmer from Ranagar in Kendrapara district, recalls the devastation with a heavy heart. “The paddy crops were at the flowering stage; we were so close to harvest,” he shared. “But now, it’s all gone. The tall stalks of paddy that once stood proudly in our fields are now submerged in muddy water, slowly rotting.” Mr. Bal invested his entire savings into his four-acre field, spending around Rs. 260,000 on seeds, fertilizers, and labor. But Dana’s destructive power wiped away his season’s hard work in mere hours. Other crops like groundnut, betel leaves, coconuts, tomatoes, cabbages, and chillies were also flattened, leaving farmers facing severe financial hardship.
In the Aul area near Bhitarkanika, the storm’s landfall has spread waves of uncertainty among the farming communities. Sudam Patra, another affected farmer, shared, “Our lives are tied to our fields. The money we make from the harvest is what keeps our children in school and food on our table. Now, we’re not sure how we’ll make it through.” For these farmers, agriculture is not just work; it’s a lifeline that sustains their families, pays for their children’s education, and provides stability.
Beyond Odisha, West Bengal also suffered losses, with four lives claimed by Dana’s impact. A civic volunteer, Chandan Das, lost his life due to electrocution while assisting a police team in Purba Bardhaman district. Tragically, an employee of the Howrah Municipal Corporation was found dead in Tantipara due to drowning on a waterlogged road. The state had already reported two earlier deaths due to electrocution in South 24 Parganas and Kolkata.
As Dana tore through the region, the severe cyclonic storm brought torrential rains, high-speed winds, uprooted trees, toppled electric poles, and caused significant infrastructure and crop damage. In this time of distress, the affected farmers and residents are looking to the government and relief organizations for support to rebuild their lives after the storm.
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