Bhubaneswar, November 1: Telecom services have been successfully restored in 99% blocks of Ganjam district by BSNL and other telecom service providers, said an official release on Sunday.

According to the release, as of 10 AM of November 1, 100% restoration has been done in major areas of the district such as Brahmapur, Chhatrapur, Ganjam, Khallikote, and Bhanjanagar.

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Restoration work is underway in the remaining areas of one block under BSNL and Airtel coverage and two blocks under Jio coverage. As soon as floodwaters recede, submerged BTS (Base Transceiver Stations), batteries, power plants and DG sets will be made operational to achieve this target.

The State Government is continuously monitoring the entire restoration process and coordinating with all telecom service providers to ensure timely action and ensuring uninterrupted communication facilities for affected citizens during natural disasters.

The cyclone, which was initially expected to have a greater impact on Andhra Pradesh and cause relatively less damage in Odisha, wreaked havoc in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts.

Hundreds of villages were inundated as heavy rainfall triggered by cyclone 'Arnab' caused extensive flooding in the state's southern part.

Ganjam was badly hit by the floods as towns and villages in Sorada, Purushottampur, Patrapur, Kabisuryanagar and Sanakhemundi faced the fury of a frothing Rushikulya. Sorada and Asika were among the worst-affected areas of Ganjam district, with the Rushikulya river inundated nearby towns and villages.