Three days after cyclone Thane ravaged Cuddalore district and surroundings, large sections of people continued to face shortage of food, drinking water and electricity even as the government deployed a massive workforce to restore basic services.
Officials supervising relief expressed doubt if power could be restored in the next couple of days but said most roads had been cleared of uprooted trees and other debris.
Hungry people blocked roads in some places demanding food and water. Since there is no power, families are unable to lift groundwater to overhead tanks.
“Some clever operators are taking advantage of the crisis by charging Rs 300 to Rs 500 for generators to fill an overhead tank. We need water for cooking. I paid Rs 100 for a 25-litre can of water which normally costs Rs 25,” said R. Gnanasekaran, who works in a private firm.
Another local said he paid a ‘generator-operator’ Rs 10 to charge his mobile phone.
With landline cables damaged by the cyclone that hit the region with a wind speed of over 120 kmph, the only way people can stay connected with relatives and friends elsewhere in the state is through mobile phones.