Cyclone Arnab Triggers Severe Floods Across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh

Rescue Operations

Heavy floods triggered by Cyclone Arnab have cut off roads and submerged hundreds of villages in Odisha's Ganjam and Gajapati districts. State Chief Secretary Anu Garg stated that around 2,000 people are marooned in Ganjam district with water surrounding them on all sides. The administration is prioritising the immediate airlifting of about 100 villagers from Sanakhemundi, Asika, and Gopalpur. While the Indian Coast Guard has kept rescue helicopters on standby, persistent rain and low-hanging clouds are hampering aerial operations. Meanwhile, teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and 15 additional units are working on the ground to rescue affected residents.

Rainfall and Damage

The India Meteorological Department reported that rain gauge stations at Patrapur and Sorada in Ganjam district received 546 mm and 503 mm of rainfall respectively in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday morning. G. Udayagiri in Kandhamal and Mahendragarh in Gajapati also recorded over 400 mm of rain, while more than 200 villages across 22 blocks faced severe disruptions. A section of National Highway 326 connecting Ganjam to Mohana was washed away by swirling floodwaters. In neighboring Andhra Pradesh, where the cyclone made landfall between Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, seven people died due to falling trees, wall collapses, and other storm incidents. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to review the situation, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu requested a central team to assess the regional damage.

Context

Cyclones hitting the eastern coast of India during the post-monsoon season often bring extremely heavy rainfall over short periods, overwhelming local drainage systems and rivers. Flash floods in hilly and semi-hilly terrain like Ganjam and Gajapati are particularly dangerous because runoff water rushes down rapidly from higher elevations into low-lying settlements. Authorities typically rely on mass evacuations ahead of landfall to prevent large-scale loss of life before shifting focus to rescue and relief work.