Surprised over sudden tidal surge in Puri and Kendrapara coasts last night much ahead of the Cyclone Hudhud's landfall at Vizag, the Odisha government today urged the Indian Meterological Department to study the unusual phenomenon.
"Though the IMD had earlier warned that the sea condition would remain rough to very rough due to the very severe cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal, it had never issued warning on the tidal surge," Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra told reporters here.
Quoting the director of IMD, Bhubaneswar, Sarat Sahu, the SRC said: "This type of tidal surge does take place due to local factors."
However, the state government wanted the scientific reasons behind such tidal surges before the landfall, Mohapatra said.
He said the unusual phenomenon was witnessed in Puri coast and at Rajnagar in Kendrapara district.
A fisherman, identified as Sudulu Goraya (42) of Penthakata, died after he was caught in the current of the tidal surge which hit the coast suddenly, Mohapatra said.
The huge waves hit the beach at Puri leading to panic among the local people including the tourists in the nearby hotels. At least 40 makeshift shops in the beach were also washed away due to the tidal surge.
According to Puri district administration sources, the personnel of NDRF and ODRAF had to evacuate the people from Penthakata Sahi area as the tidal water rushed into their houses.
The ingress of tidal waters was also experienced in some of the coastal pockets of Rajnagar and Mahakalpada tehsils of Kendrapara district ahead of the cyclcone.
Lashing of tidal waves has caused damage in coastal embankments near Pentha at Rajnagar tehsil. However, executive engineer of saline embankment division Jugal Kishore Tripathy has ruled out damage.
