Bhubaneswar: People in cyclone-affected districts in Odisha enjoyed partial restoration of Internet services as network operators, including BSNL, restored some of the damaged mobile towers.
Internet services, though erratic and not lasting for a few minutes at a stretch, enabled the users to send urgent messages to their near and dear ones and lodge complaint with authorities about the problems in the areas.
“I used Internet services to tweet to authorities about a large tree falling on our building and urge them to immediately cut it as it threatens to damage the structure. Besides, I also sent mails to authorities requesting them to send water tanker to our colony,” sent Bidisha Das, resident of Sahidnagar, Bhubaneswar.
Many other users immediately took to social media platforms to post pictures of the devastation they experienced in their respective areas.
The CMO used the Internet services to gather cyclone-damage information from various affected pockets and inform journalists and other stakeholders about the restoration work done so far.
In the evening, however, the denizens battled widespread network failure due to poor signal strength. Though the users got connected to the networks, their desired web portals and email services did not work properly.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked network operators to make provision of mobile telephone towers in pilgrim city Puri which bore the brunt of cyclone Fani on May 3.
