Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's orders were clear: return to work immediately.
It's 6 pm in the evening and it's already dark in Jajpur Town in north Odisha. In a typically large and spacious compound at one end of the nondescript town is the Collector's residence. As we enter his office, 51-year-old Anil Kumar Samal rings a bell. An elderly orderly come in, folds his palms and bows down dramatically before the Collector. "Three cups of tea, please," he quietly said in Odiya.
Mr Samal is not from the usual stock of IAS officers. He worked as an engineer for 20 years with the Odisha government before getting into the IAS cadre. He got that job after graduating from IIT-Kharagpur.
What's also unusual is him wearing a cap in the room. "Actually my mother died just before the cyclone. That's why I have had to shave my head," he says non-chalantly. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's orders were clear: return to work immediately. "I wrapped up the rites as soon as possible and returned before the 13th day," he explained.
And he is glad he did. After working for 24 years and tackling three natural disasters, Mr Samal was an experienced hand. "There are 2.5 lakh people who are marooned today. But we made sure we evacuated as many people as possible. I'm really satisfied that our casualty figures are nil," he said.
Perhaps he should be. In any calamity, the yardstick of successful disaster management is the number of dead.
Mr Samal says he ensured he evacuated as many people as possible. In the floods of 2011, 23 people died even though 5,000 villagers in low-lying areas had been evacuated. Taking no chances, the administration moved 10,000 people to safer locations even forcing those who were reluctant.
"But what about being pro-active and working through the year, taking steps to tackle natural disasters like floods?" Purnendra Naik in Mangalpur village asks pointing out to large scale destruction of rice fields and homes. Mr Naik claims embankments had not been repaired because of which rivers breached through and inundated fields and villages.
Mr Samal agrees but says it was only one breach whereas in 2011 there were many more.
"There are lapses. But it's a learning process," he says.
Perhaps so. After all, battling nature's forces and ensuring all are happy is impossible.