Cyclone Arnab hit southern Odisha, affecting over 1,000 villages and displacing thousands of people across Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Heavy rains caused widespread flooding, damaging houses and crops. The government deployed rescue teams to help those in need. The Chief Minister will visit the affected areas today to review relief operations.
Majhi is scheduled to reach the affected areas around noon. He will first undertake an aerial survey of the two districts to assess the extent of flooding and damage before landing at Rangeilunda. He will subsequently hold discussions with district officials and review the situation in the worst-affected areas. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari is expected to accompany him.
The Chief Minister's visit comes amid a challenging situation in southern Odisha, where incessant rainfall triggered by Cyclone Arnab has caused widespread flooding, leaving thousands of people displaced and several villages cut off from the rest of the state.
According to official estimates, more than 1,000 villages have been affected in Ganjam and Gajapati districts. While 299 villages in 22 blocks of Ganjam have been hit, another 711 villages in seven blocks of Gajapati have suffered the impact of the deluge. Around 42,500 people have been affected in Ganjam and nearly 20,000 in Gajapati.
The cyclone's aftermath has left a trail of destruction across the two districts. Several villages have been inundated, houses damaged and large stretches of agricultural land submerged, raising concerns over extensive damage to standing paddy and vegetable crops. Roads and bridges have been washed away or rendered unusable, disrupting communication and transport. A portion of National Highway-326 in Gajapati was washed away, while the collapse of a bridge in Mohana block further affected connectivity. Floodwaters also disrupted railway services in the region, with several trains cancelled or diverted. The swelling Rushikulya, Vamsadhara and other rivers have compounded the crisis, leaving several habitations marooned.
The State Government has intensified rescue and evacuation operations, deploying teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services personnel. More than 59,000 people have been evacuated from vulnerable areas across the State in the last 72 hours.
The Chief Minister is expected to review the effectiveness of relief distribution, rescue operations and the restoration of essential services, besides directing officials to ensure immediate assistance to affected families.