NAGAPATTINAM/TIRUVARUR: Upset over demands of compensation for the properties damaged by Gaja cyclone, locals have blocked roads causing isolation of several cyclone-hit areas from district headquarters.Authorities claim that irate villagers blocking the roads are not letting official vehicles to supply even the essential commodities to the most hit localities including Kodiyakkarai near Vedaranyam and Muthupettai near Thiruthuraipoondi With the power supply and mobile network services yet to return in the localities as on Sunday, the extent of damages, particularly property loss caused by the cyclone remains unknown.“Even during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, mangrove forest guarded our town and the damages were brought down. But the devastation caused by Gaja is unprecedented. At least authorities anticipating such damages could have taken better precautionary measures such as stocking water and food,” Mohammed Yakoob, a native of Muthupettai in Tiruvarur district said.The damaged infrastructure includes centuries-old Jambavanodai dargah near Muthupettai where shelters have collapsed over the minarets. Located 42 km away from Muthupettai, the situation in Vedaranyam of Nagapattinam district is no different. Officials said they are unable to reach Kodiyakkarai as villagers enroute have been blocking the roads for the past two days since cyclone made landfall.“Villagers are not even allowing medicine, electricity poles and food supplies to reach Vedaranyam. They have formed a self-imposed isolation making our rescue and relief works even more challenging,” a senior official in relief operation said.Public transportation in the area remains severely affected as TNSTC officials have still no idea about how to resume rural bus services in Vedaranyam and Thiruthuraipoondi towns.“It took four hours for a bus started from Tiruvarur to reach Thiruthuraipoondi covering 30 km. Bus services to Vedaranyam were completely shut as villagers were staging road blockades at multiple spots,” an official with TNSTC said.

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