Bhubaneswar: Rescue and relief operations have been intensified in Odisha’s cyclone-hit districts, with four helicopters deployed to airlift food packets to people stranded in flood-affected areas of Ganjam, as the state government stepped up efforts to deal with the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Arnab.
The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have deployed four helicopters to airdrop essential supplies in inaccessible areas of Ganjam district. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams are also using boats to deliver cooked food to people trapped by floodwaters, despite strong currents and adverse weather conditions.
Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil said food packets had been dropped at 21 identified locations in Ganjam. More than 23,000 people were staying in relief camps, while thousands remained stranded in inundated areas, Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.
Of the 313 rescue teams deployed across Odisha, more than 100 are operating in Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Around 50,000 people have been severely affected by flooding in Ganjam, followed by 30,000 in Gajapati and 12,000 in Kandhamal, Pujari said.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas along with Pujari, said Cyclone Arnab had taken an unexpected turn. The system was initially forecast to have a greater impact on Andhra Pradesh, with relatively limited damage expected in Odisha. However, it caused extensive destruction in Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts, he said.
The chief minister said the state government had sought assistance from the Centre soon after learning about the change in the cyclone’s course. Following the aerial assessment, the government sanctioned an additional Rs 20 crore for Ganjam to support rescue and relief work.
Continuous heavy rainfall caused rivers to swell and triggered nearly a dozen landslides across the affected districts. A couple and their nine-month-old son died in a landslide in Kandhamal, a minister said. Majhi announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person.
In Ganjam, the overflowing Rushikulya river inundated several villages, damaged bridges and washed away roads, said Water Resources Department Engineer-in-Chief Dillip Kumar Rout. Sorada, Asika, Bhanjanagar and Purushottampur were among the worst-affected areas, while several localities in Sanakhemundi were also submerged.
Ganjam Collector V Keerthi Vasan said rescue and relief work had been stepped up and assistance was being distributed among affected residents since Thursday. The state government has also deployed 30 senior Odisha Administrative Service officers to support the district administration.
Majhi said the administration was working round the clock to ensure that food, drinking water and emergency medical care reached people in affected areas. He directed officials to speed up relief operations and restore damaged roads, bridges and electricity connections. He also asked them to address potential health risks following the floods.
The chief minister urged residents to remain in safe places and follow instructions issued by local authorities and rescue teams. He said the government was prioritising the protection of lives and property.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu cancelled her scheduled three-day visit to Odisha from November 3 in view of the situation. She spoke to Majhi and enquired about the condition of people affected by the cyclone.
A central team is scheduled to visit Odisha November 2 to assess the damage caused by the cyclone-induced floods, Pujari said.
Transport Minister B B Jena said National Highway 16, which connects Kolkata and Chennai, had reopened after water levels in the Bahuda river receded. Train services have also resumed, although several trains remained cancelled or short-terminated because of congestion caused by waterlogging along railway routes, an official said.
The Opposition Biju Janata Dal, Congress and Left parties criticised the BJP government, alleging that it had failed to take adequate preventive measures despite advance warnings from the India Meteorological Department. Majhi, however, maintained that the administration was making every effort to provide assistance to those affected.