PANAJI
Cyclone Tauktae ran amok across the Goan countryside throughout Sunday leaving a trail of destruction never seen before and killing two people -- a 34-year-old woman from Anjuna and a man, who was on a two-wheeler, died after an electricity pole got uprooted and fell on him.
The woman from Mazilwaddo-Anjuna was killed after a coconut tree fell on her in the first half of the day. She reportedly went to fetch water from a well behind her house when the tree came crashing down on her leading to her tragic death.
The second casualty of the cyclone occurred after an electrical pole came crashing down on a moving scooter at Marcel. One of the persons on the scooter died on the way to the hospital, while his co-rider is admitted to a hospital.
Police said Keshav Jagannath Naik, 47, expired while on the way to hospital and Shyam Pako Naik, 40, was injured. Both were proceeding from Palsare to Marcel with their scooter to lodge an electricity complaint, the police said.
In another incident, four persons sustained injuries after a tree collapsed on their house in Vasco. All four have been admitted to a hospital. The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced relief to the families of the deceased.
As many as 150 houses were left damaged and 500 trees uprooted as the strong cyclonic winds ravaged the nook and corners of the State.
The fire brigade personnel across Goa said they were overwhelmed by the distress calls from several places. Most of the calls pertained to the uprooting of trees on houses, roof sheets blowing away and electricity poles and lines snapping.
The firemen were kept busy the entire day clearing trees from highways and internal village roads. In many areas, police too were seen clearing uprooted trees with the help of people.
Most parts of Goa went without electricity supply the whole day, with power officials saying it will be restored only after two days.
In Salcete, road traffic was disrupted at several places across the taluka. The national highway was blocked at Dandeavaddo-Chinchinim for well over five hours after a huge banyan tree came crashing down on the road at around 2.30 pm.
In Bardez, Calangute and Candolim bore the brunt of the cyclonic storm as trees fell like nine pins along the coastal villages, disrupting normal life.
A young boy was injured after part of a house wall collapsed on him at Corjuem-Aldona. He was rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
According to reports coming in, the talukas of Bardez in North and Mormugao in South have sustained the maximum brunt of the cyclone. In Bardez alone 31 trees were uprooted, 17 houses damaged and 11 roads were blocked.
The Navy and army have been called in for clearing the main roads in the state and the CM assured the release of relief under disaster management on priority, within 8-days.
Around 50 houses of the total 150 have been badly damaged, several vehicles parked on the roads have also been damaged. Trains are delayed as trees have fallen on tracks.
The Netravati Express train was delayed by an hour as a tree had fallen on the track between Margao and Majorda.
