1.
GV Homeless people with children and belongings walk along embankment (3 shots)
0.18

2.
LV & CU Dead cattle (2 shots)
0.26

3.
LV Body of man in river
0.29

4.
SV Dead cattle (2 shots)
0.34

5.
SV Man with stick prods human body in river
0.40

6.
GV Wrecked houses (2 shots)
0.51

7.
LV Cart past wrecked houses
0.58

8.
SV Man clearing remains of house as wife and child look on (3 shots)
1.14

9.
LV Children and cattle near wrecked house
1.18

10.
SV Women and children outside huts
1.25

11.
SV Woman cooking
1.26

12.
SV Woman and child outside hut by river
1.33

13.
LV Grain being distributed to villagers (4 shots)
1.50

14.
SV Men repairing damaged road (2 shots)
2.03



Initials BB/0135 GL/AW/BB/0037



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A team of university students and government workers was sent into the cyclone disaster area in India's Orissa State today (8 November) to burn thousands of rotting human corpses and animal carcasses.

The death toll from the cyclone and tidal wave which struck India's east coast ten days ago now stands at 10,000, and Orissa Health Minister R.K. Patnaik warned yesterday (Sunday) that a cholera epidemic might follow.

This film, shot by Visnews cameraman Durgadas Chatterji on Saturday (6 November), shows the devastation in the villages of Jambu and Marshaghai and the town of Kendrapara in Cuttack District, and some of the homeless people who have left their villages in search of food and shelter in the towns.

SYNOPSIS: In India's Orissa State, devastated by a cyclone and a tidal wave a week ago on Saturday, the homeless survivors are still leaving their villages in search of food and shelter in the towns. When this film was shot seven days after the disaster, many villages were still without relief.

Human as well as animal remains litter the diaster area, and on Monday a team of university students and government workers was sent in to burn the thousands of rotting corpses and carcasses.

The death toll in the disaster now stands at ten thousand, but a much greater number of people have seen their homes and livelihood destroyed. In Bhubaneswar, the state capital, an all-party relief committee reported that more than 92 million sterling--250 million dollars--would be needed to help an estimated five million people hit by the storm.

The State Minister of Health has given a warning that cholera may break out. Even if the risk of disease is contained the State's problems are likely to remain for many months. Fresh water supplies have been contaminated, and rice crop is ruined. Thousands of bags of rice and flour have been moved in to the affected area, but salt water pollution is likely to delay the time when the land can again support the people who live on it.

Efforts are being made to repair damaged roads, but transport problems continue to hamper relief operations.