Mail News Service
Jamshedpur: It was just the other day when the tropical cyclonic storm Fani lashed across Odisha and destroyed life and property that have yet to be accounted for. House collapse and overturned vehicles were only a part of the morbidity of it all. The passing cylone touched Jharkhand , West Bengal comparatively in a milder form but Andhra Pradesh felt a harsher approach.
In Odisha, lakhs of people were moved to safer places as a precautionary measure. High alert areas were announced by the government, and much to children�s amusement, an official order was passed to keep schools closed. Television channels grabbed eyeballs with realistic representations of the cyclone which were of a very graphic nature. But it was another reminder of nature�s fury.
On 3rd May, the people of Jamshedpur woke up to a cloudy sky, accompanied with slow winds and light rains. If anything, the cyclone had certainly brought down the temperature in Jamshedpur. People heaved a sigh of relief from the acute heat and humidity that had been prevailing in the city for long. Pictures and videos about the updates of Fani were exchanged between friends and relatives from Orissa and West Bengal. These social media updates upped the concern of the citizens here.
After hours of anticipation, the cyclone seemed to hit the city. Heavy gusts of wind hit window panes. Large toddy palm trees moved in the air like petty flower branches. Families huddled together as the moody rains changed moods from simple drizzle to occasional heavy down pour. The usually busy streets wore a vacant look. People refrained from going out unless for some unavoidable work. The city wore a drenched look with street lights reflecting on the wet roads.
The intensity of the storm which had decreased while crossing over from Odisha, briefly touched the city around midnight, accounted for a good night�s sleep sans any information of devastation although a vigilant administration had taken all precautionary steps of the highest order.
The sun reappeared in the morning with a clear sky on May 4. It had all the makings of another spell of heat and humidity over the city. Yesterday�s scenario seemed like history. Children were eager to go to school to exchange their anecdotes of the cyclone with their friends. The sun brought with it a sense of relief and safety for the people of Jamshedpur.
