KARIMNAGAR: The impact of the cyclone in Oman is felt in the backward villages of Vemulawada, Chandurthi and Konaraopeta mandals of Karimnagar district from where a few hundreds of villagers have migrated there in search of employment.

Ever since they saw the scenes of devastation in Oman and other countries of Gulf on televisions, family members of immigrants began making frantic calls to know the welfare of their loved ones. The tensed-up lot made a beeline to the public ISD telephone booths. But their efforts went in vain due to choked telephone lines. When the villagers could not locate their kin in Oman, they began weeping inconsolably and prayed for their safety.

Eerie silence

An eerie silence engulfed Edurugatla village of Vemulawada mandal. Almost all villagers were waiting with bated breath to hear from dear ones . About 200 persons from this village alone migrated to Oman. Most of them went there on visitors' visas after shelling out huge money to the Gulf agents.

The villagers said that two of the immigrants, Raji Reddy and Narsaiah, had called up their family members on Wednesday night and confirmed their safety. However, they did not know the whereabouts of other villagers. They also narrated the enormity of the situation there.

Women, who were unsure about the safety of their husbands who had been to Oman, were breaking down continuously. Manemma, wife of Raji Reddy, said: "My husband called me up and said that he was in a safe place." She said he had cried due to the worse condition in which he was, as he had gone there on a visitor's visa.

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