Odisha Woman Gives Birth To Baby Girl In Fire Service Van Amid Amphan Chaos

Kendrapada: Even as strong winds accompanied by rain battered Odisha coast under the influence of cyclone Amphan, a woman gave birth to a baby girl inside a fire service van in Kendrapada on Wednesday morning.

She delivered the baby while being shifted to Community Health Centre (CHC), Mahakalapada, from Jhanhara village.

According to sources, family members of 20-year-old Janaki Sethi made frantic call for an ambulance as she started experiencing labour pain around 9 am. The house, however, was blocked by uprooted trees obstructing movement of vehicles.

“The family members tried to contact ambulance operators. No ambulance turned up. On receipt of the information, two fire service teams with men and equipment rushed to the spot,” P. K. Dash, Deputy Fire Officer was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

The fire service personnel cleared 22 trees from the road and carried the pregnant woman in a fire service van to the hospital. She, however, gave birth to a girl child inside the vehicle, he said.

The mother-child duo was then admitted to CHC for further treatment, he added.

As per standard evacuation protocol, 1575 pregnant women were shifted to hospitals in seven coastal and adjoining districts in view of cyclone Amphan.