The death toll in Odisha due to Cyclone Fani mounted to 43 today, even as people staged a road blockade and assaulted a state official in protest against water shortage and power cuts in the coastal belt ravaged by the severe storm a week ago.
According to an official, two fresh deaths have been reported in Cuttack and Khurda districts of the state.
While the state government claimed to have restored power and drinking water supplies in urban pockets of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack districts, people Saturday blocked roads connecting Paradip and Cuttack, and the national highway linking Bhubaneswar with Puri, alleging lack of basic amenities.
Similar agitations were seen in parts of the state capital where power continued to remain elusive for the eighth consecutive day.
In the pilgrim town of Puri, worst hit in the storm, locals were leaving homes and shifting elsewhere temporarily, even as the state government claimed that it was undertaking relief work on war footing.
"We left Puri and moved to Koraput (500 km away) as there is no certainty on restoration of power and water supply. Bhubaneswar, too, has been severely hit by power and drinking water crisis.
"Add to that, hotel and guest house owners are charging more than the usual rate in view of the rush," Rathindra Mishra, a native of Mausima Lane in Puri, said.