Jamuna Mallick (right) with her baby. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, Oct. 16: As people battled Phailin, two babies were born at cyclone shelters in the district, giving rise to hope amid prevailing nature’s fury.

Jamuna Mallick, 25, of Madhupada village at Rajkanika block was lucky to have a safe delivery. She gave birth to a boy at a cyclone shelter in the village on October 12 midnight only three hours after Phalin struck the area.

The baby was born at a time when villagers, huddled at the cyclone shelter, were worried about their survival and evacuation was on in the nearby areas. The newborn was aptly named Phailin.

“Similarly, Suchitra Pradhan, 24, of the seaside Gupti village gave birth to a girl at the cyclone shelter and villagers named her Phailin, too,” said Rajnagar tehsildar Bhabatacharana Sahoo.

“The cyclone warning had made us scary as she was in advanced stage of pregnancy. The doctors had told us that the child delivery would take place in the last week of October. So, we were least-prepared for it,” said Suchitra’s husband Rajendra Parida.

“Gusty winds were whistling past the shelter house. We thought that the cyclone would strike us with ferocity. To add to our anxiety, Suchitra underwent pangs of labour. It clocked around 6pm. Amid the evening darkness, I was filled with an unknown fear. I could not decide what to do. My wife’s labour pain went up with each passing moments. But, my fellow villagers instilled confidence in me. Their reassuring words had a soothing effect. The womenfolk took up the challenge and took care of her. Finally, she gave birth with the traditional delivery technique put to use by the women,” he said.

Sarbeswar Lenka of Madhupada village said: “It was a normal delivery. All on a sudden, the expectant mother developed labour pain. The elderly women came to her rescue. As cries of the baby reverberated the jam-packed shelter house, all of us were ecstatic and celebrated its arrival.”

“The babies and their mothers are safe. Though the deliveries were carried out without any professional medical help, such assistance reached them after the cyclone weakened. The in-laws and husband of Suchitra were insistent on naming her Durga as she was born during Dussehra festivities. But, I requested them to name her after Phailin and they agreed to my suggestion,” Sahoo said.