Bhubaneswar: Ganjam has emerged as the worst-affected district in Odisha following heavy rainfall after Cyclone ‘Arnab’, with around 43,000 people affected and 23,323 evacuated to safer places, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said on Friday.
As many as 72 villages remain surrounded by floodwater, including nine severely affected villages, prompting the government to intensify rescue and relief operations.
Speaking to reporters, Pujari said several districts, including Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Nuapada, had been affected by the cyclone and subsequent rainfall.
“Ganjam is the worst-affected district, followed by Gajapati. Kandhamal was also affected by rainfall yesterday. However, according to the rainfall data recorded at 8.30 am on October 30, relatively less rainfall was recorded across the state during the last 24 hours,” he said.
According to the data collected by the government, 22 blocks, 242 gram panchayats, 386 villages and 18 urban local bodies (ULBs), comprising 93 wards, have been affected in Ganjam district.
Of the around 43,000 affected people, 23,323 have been evacuated and shifted to relief centres. As many as 588 pregnant women were also shifted to safer places, of whom 326 have already delivered safely, the minister said.
He said 72 villages remained surrounded by floodwater, with nine villages facing severe inundation. In some locations, floodwater had reached the first floors of houses, leaving residents stranded.
The government has mobilised the Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Fire Services and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) for rescue and relief operations. Coast Guard helicopters were used to evacuate stranded people on Thursday, while the Indian Navy has made arrangements for aerial food drops on Friday.
“I have spoken to the district collectors and the RDC and instructed them to ensure that food reaches all affected people by the end of the day. If cooked food cannot be supplied, packed food should be provided,” Pujari said.
Director General of Fire Services Sudhanshu Sarangi is also scheduled to visit Brahmapur on Friday. The government has identified 40 locations where trained personnel will be deployed in boats to reach inundated villages and distribute cooked food. Fire Services teams and ODRAF personnel are also engaged in relief operations.
The Indian Navy will undertake aerial food drops at 21 identified locations in Ganjam district. These include three locations in Hinjilicut, seven in Purushottampur, two each in Surada, Dharakote, Asika, Bellaguntha and Chikiti, besides locations in the Bhanjanagar area.
The respective block development officers (BDOs) and executive officers have been instructed to prepare food packets and hand them over to the Navy for aerial distribution, he said.
Meanwhile, several roads have been damaged due to landslides, affecting both National Highways and state highways. The minister said he had spoken to the Principal Secretary of the Works Department and asked him to initiate restoration work immediately.
The government is also planning to send heavy machinery from Rayagada and Koraput to Ganjam and Gajapati to expedite road clearance and restoration work, he said.
Pujari said 352 relief centres were operational in Ganjam district, accommodating around 23,300 people. In neighbouring Gajapati, 340 relief centres were functioning, where 21,782 people had taken shelter.
The minister also said he had spoken to India Meteorological Department (IMD) Regional Director in Bhubaneswar, Dr Manorama Mohanty, who informed him that no significant rainfall was expected in Odisha during the next 24 hours.
