Odisha village still reels under wrath of Cyclone Fani

Chilika is a brackish (a mix of saline and fresh water) water lake, which used to open to the sea at one location, known as the mouth. Photo: Adithyan P C

Around 2 lakh people depend on the Lake for their livelihood, which is also home to 261 species of fish, 28 species of prawns and 34 species of crabs. Photo: Adithyan P C

Due to the intense waves generated because of Cyclone Fani, four new mouths have now opened up. The second mouth is twice as big as the original mouth, bringing in more sea (salt) water and increasing the salinity of the lake. Photo: Adithyan P C

Mayadhar (left), a local fishermen, says that the increased salinity has affected the number of fishes in the lake, in turn having an adverse impact on their catch. Photo: Adithyan P C

Moreover, the cyclone has also damaged 160 of the 236 boats in Mirjapur village, leaving the fishermen in lurch. Photo: Adithyan P C

Around 50 houses in the village were completely destroyed due to the Cyclone, while the rest have sustained some kind of damage. Photo: Adithyan P C

While the fishermen are worried about their future, the Chilika Development Authority claims that the mouths will close within a few months due to coastal sediment transfer. Photo: Adithyan P C

Villagers in Thengipada in Puri district resting atop a temple that was destroyed by trees uprooted by fierce winds during Cyclone Fani. Photo: Adithyan P C