Cyclone aftermath: People crossing over to Andhra for ATMs

People of Berhampur in south Odisha are crossing over to Andhra Pradesh in search of ATMs to withdraw money as almost all such facilities in this silk city are lying defunct since Cyclone Phailin hit the state.

The ATMs are either damaged or not operational due to disruption of electricity. Only one ATM of State Bank of India is functioning in the city and people are making a beeline for it to withdraw money.

"Instead of cooling my heels here, I preferred to go to Ichhapur in Andhra, 35 km from here, to withdraw cash from an ATM," said Srinibash Rao, a resident of Berhampur.

Like him several people, especially the Telugu speaking people, are crossing the border to withdraw cash and recharge mobile phones. The ATMs are not functioning here as power supply is disrupted, said an officer of Andhra Bank.

"Initially, we went to the neighbouring state to send news items through Internet and recharge cellphones," said a local journalist.

Now the scribes are going to places like Digapahandi and Chatrapur, where power supply has been restored, in order to despatch their news items. Normal life has been paralysed for the last eight days in almost entire Ganjam district after the cyclone hit the state.

Image: A man rides his motorbike past an overturned vehicle after Cyclone Phailin hit Gopalpur in Ganjam district in Odisha
Photographs: Ahmad Masood/Reuters