Nine-month-old baby among 3 of a family dead in a landslide in Odisha’s Kandhamal

Three members of a family, including a nine-month-old baby, were killed in a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall under the influence of Cyclone Arnab in Odisha's Kandhamal district on Friday, a state minister said.

The incident occurred at Dangesi village under Raikia block, where continuous rainfall caused a landslide that claimed the lives of the family members. Two other people were rescued by fire services personnel and shifted to safety.

Odisha Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik confirmed the deaths and said rescue and relief operations were underway in the affected area.

The deceased were identified as Achyuta Pradhan (30), his wife Anisha Pradhan (25), and their nine-month-old child, whose name was not disclosed.

𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮

Naik said a fire services team rescued two people following the landslide, while district authorities deployed disaster response personnel to clear debris and assess the situation.

Kandhamal District Collector Vedbhusan confirmed that two people, including an elderly person, had been rescued and moved to a safer location.

The district administration was closely monitoring the affected areas as emergency teams continued their operations.

Officials remained engaged in clearing debris and ensuring that residents living in vulnerable locations were shifted away from potential danger.

𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝟰𝟱𝟬 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱

The minister said approximately 450 people from the affected area had been evacuated and accommodated in a relief camp as a precautionary measure.

The evacuations followed heavy rainfall associated with Cyclone Arnab, which caused damage across several parts of southern Odisha.

District officials and disaster response teams were deployed to assist affected residents and manage relief operations.

The administration continued to monitor conditions in vulnerable areas amid concerns over further rain-related damage.

𝗖𝗠 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝘀 𝟰 𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the deaths and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office on X, the assistance will be provided from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

The Chief Minister also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family following the incident.

The announcement came as state authorities continued to assess the damage caused by the cyclone and coordinate rescue and relief measures in the affected districts.

𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲

Cyclone Arnab caused widespread destruction in several parts of Odisha on Thursday, with heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions affecting multiple districts.

According to officials, Ganjam was the worst-affected district, while Gajapati and Kandhamal also reported damage.

The landslide in Kandhamal highlighted the dangers posed by intense rainfall in vulnerable areas, particularly where unstable slopes can threaten nearby settlements.

Authorities continued relief and restoration operations in cyclone-affected areas while monitoring conditions to prevent further loss of life.