Coast Guard airlifts stranded villagers as Cyclone Arnab floods Odisha

The Indian Coast Guard on Thursday began airlifting people stranded in flood-hit villages of Odisha's Ganjam district as the state government deployed 79 disaster response teams across Ganjam and Gajapati following widespread flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Arnab.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg said 299 villages in Ganjam had been affected, including 70 that remained cut off from the rest of the state. The government initiated air evacuation of 2,328 stranded people, while rescue teams continued operations in inundated areas.

The state administration was coordinating with the Union Home Ministry to facilitate aerial evacuations as overflowing rivers, damaged roads and disrupted railway services complicated rescue efforts.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh P Patil said an Indian Coast Guard helicopter completed its first rescue sortie on Thursday afternoon, with additional operations planned to evacuate people from inaccessible locations.

𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝟯𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱

According to the chief secretary, three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, 27 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and 24 Fire Service teams have evacuated 11,882 people from flood-affected areas of Ganjam.

In neighbouring Gajapati district, 711 villages have been affected by heavy rainfall and flash floods. Another 25 rescue teams have shifted 17,441 residents to safer locations.

Together, the two districts have recorded 29,323 evacuations, while authorities estimate that around 42,500 people in Ganjam and 20,000 in Gajapati have been affected by the disaster.

"Rivers are flowing in spate, making it difficult to operate boats there. As many as 42,500 in Ganjam and around 20,000 in Gajapati have been affected," Garg said.

Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said most of the stranded residents were concentrated in villages of Sanakhemundi and Aska blocks, where rising floodwaters had disrupted access.

The government has ordered Anganwadi centres and educational institutions in both districts to remain closed until October 31.

𝗥𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗸𝘂𝗹𝘆𝗮 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸

Sorada emerged as one of the worst-affected areas of Ganjam after three days of extremely heavy rainfall caused the Rushikulya river to overflow, inundating surrounding towns and villages.

Officials said the river was also flowing close to its danger level in Aska, while Digapahandi and Chikiti blocks experienced persistent rainfall and flooding.

State Engineer-in-Chief Dilip Kumar Rout said the Rushikulya was flowing at 19 metres in Purushottampur, significantly above its danger mark of 16.8 metres.

"The water level is expected to rise further," he warned.

The heavy downpour also triggered landslides in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts, creating additional challenges for rescue teams and disrupting road connectivity.

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗱

Garg said the rainfall recorded in Ganjam and Gajapati over the past few days was comparable to what some parts of the region receive over an entire year.

Patrapur in Ganjam recorded 546 mm of rainfall till Thursday morning, while G Udayagiri in Kandhamal received 462.4 mm.

Other locations reporting exceptionally heavy rainfall included Sanakhemundi at 388 mm, Raikia at 384.8 mm and Sorada at 375 mm.

Chikiti recorded 309.2 mm, Mohana in Gajapati received 307.6 mm, while Daringbadi and Chakapad in Kandhamal registered 273 mm and 249 mm, respectively.

Officials said the intense rainfall had swollen rivers, submerged low-lying settlements and made boat-based rescue operations difficult in several locations.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗱

The cyclone's impact extended to major transport networks, with approximately 300 metres of National Highway 326 washed away in Mohana block of Gajapati district.

The damage disrupted connectivity between Gajapati and Ganjam, further complicating the movement of emergency personnel and essential supplies.

Rail services were also affected in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district after a railway bridge was submerged.

"A railway bridge has been submerged in Srikakulam, halting trains on both sides," Garg said.

Authorities were exploring arrangements to evacuate stranded railway passengers by road. If road evacuation proved impossible, passengers would be accommodated at nearby railway stations with necessary facilities.

The Gajapati district administration also extended the closure of schools until October 31 because of continuing rainfall and waterlogging.

𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured Odisha and other cyclone-affected states of all possible assistance from the Centre in managing the disaster and accelerating relief operations.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said he had briefed Shah on the situation in affected districts and the measures being undertaken for rescue, relief and restoration.

"Spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and briefed him on the impact of Cyclone Arnab across Odisha, the prevailing situation in affected districts, and the relief and restoration measures being undertaken by the state government," Majhi wrote on X.

He said the Home Minister had assured the state of necessary support to address the cyclone's aftermath.

"The support and cooperation of the Government of India will further strengthen our efforts to protect lives, support affected families and expedite relief, rehabilitation and restoration across the state," the Chief Minister added.

With several villages still inaccessible and river levels remaining dangerously high, rescue teams continued evacuation operations while the administration worked to restore transport links and provide assistance to displaced families.