Odisha plans air evacuations as Cyclone Arnab maroons 300 Villages

The Odisha government was coordinating with the Union Home Ministry to airlift people from Ganjam district, where around 300 villages have been marooned by heavy rain and flash floods triggered by Cyclone Arnab, a top official of the state said.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg said teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force have begun rescue operations in the affected areas, but air evacuations could be delayed by low cloud level and continued rain.

Officials said Sorada was among the worst-affected areas of Ganjam, with the Rushikulya river overflowing due to extremely heavy rainfall for the past three days and inundating nearby towns and villages. In Aska, the river is flowing close to its danger level.

Around 300 villages have been marooned due to rains and flash floods, she said, adding, "The state government is in contact with the Ministry of Home Affairs, and arrangements are being made to airlift some people from the marooned areas. The Indian Coast Guard will provide a chopper and make required arrangements."

The state government plans to airlift 120 people in the first phase; but air evacuations may be delayed as cloud level remains low and rain continues, Garg told reporters.

Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said most of the marooned people are in villages of Sanakhemundi and Aska blocks.

The chief secretary also said that heavy rainfall has disrupted rail services in the Srikakulam district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. "A railway bridge has been submerged in Srikakulam, halting trains on both sides," Garg said, adding that authorities were planning to rescue stranded passengers by road.

If rescue by road is not possible, the passengers would be accommodated at nearby railway stations, where arrangements are being made to provide them with necessary facilities, the Odisha chief secretary said.

"He assured of all possible assistance to Odisha in the wake of the cyclone. 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,” Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said in an X post. - PTI