Puri: In the aftermath of the devastation caused by Extremely Severe Cyclone ‘Fani’, the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy has launched a massive rescue and rehabilitation effort in Odisha. Two Maritime Recce sorties were undertaken by the Dornier aircraft of the Navy revealing widespread destruction localised around the temple town of Puri.
The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command personally undertook aerial survey of the cyclone affected area with the first light on May 4 and visited INS Chilka to review the relief efforts.
Based on the aerial surveys, the Eastern Naval Command is undertaking a three-pronged rescue and rehabilitation effort centred around Puri and its suburbs in coordination with the State Government and District Administration. Relief and rehabilitation ‘bricks’ and ‘pallets’ (Naval parlance for containerised relief stores) comprising food material, essential medical supplies, clothing items, disinfectants, repair material, chain saws for removing damaged trees, torches and batteries, etc. have been sent to INS Chilka, a naval establishment at Odisha, closest to Puri.
The Naval Officer-in-Charge(Odisha) is centrally coordinating distribution of these relief materials and community kitchen is planned to be set up.