One death reported in Odisha's Bhadrak, cause unknown: Special Relief Commissioner

PK Jena, Special Relief Commissioner, Odisha, on Wednesday informed that one casualty has been reported in Bhadrak and a medical team has been deployed after which the exact cause of death will be ascertained.

"There is info about one casualty in Bhadrak. Medical and admin teams have proceeded to the village to the inquest, after which the exact cause of death can be decided by Collector. Another death occurred yesterday. It is not cyclone related death as of now," Jena said.

The landfall process of Cyclone Amphan has commenced since 2.30 pm on Wednesday and it will continue for about four hours, said Director of India Meteorological Department, Bhubaneswar Centre, HR Biswas.

Many trees were uprooted in Bhadrak after strong winds and rainfall battered the district as cyclone Amphan advanced towards the Indian coast.

SN Pradhan, chief of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) earlier said that more than 5 lakh people have been evacuated in West Bengal and 1,58,640 people in Odisha in view of the cyclone.

The NDRF chief said that based on experiences during Cyclone F, all teams are equipped with tree cutters and pole cutters for post-landfall restoration if the need arises.

( With inputs from ANI )