Torrential rainfall driven by Cyclone Arnab has triggered catastrophic destruction across parts of Odisha. In Gidipabali village, located within Ganjam district, a massive landslide struck on October 28, prompting an urgent search and rescue mission to locate trapped residents. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari detailed the crisis, noting that the settlement had an overall population of 25 people. In the immediate aftermath of the collapse, only 13 villagers managed to escape through the forest on foot and reach a relief centre. Following the recovery of one body from beneath the debris, 11 people remain unaccounted for as emergency teams comb the area.
Extensive Search Operations Across Rugged Terrain
Authorities are investigating all potential routes the fleeing villagers might have taken during the chaos. Suresh Pujari noted that officials are assessing whether the missing individuals headed toward Kandhamal, navigated through deep forest stretches across streams and drainage networks back into Ganjam, or dispersed in another direction entirely. To accelerate the mission, personnel from the Special Operations Group (SOG), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) have been deployed under the direct on-site supervision of the Collector and Sub-Collector.
Indian Railways Deployment and Naval Scanning Technology
Clearing the massive accumulation of rocks and mud near Bhanjanagar along the Ganjam-Kandhamal border required additional engineering support. Indian Railways has mobilized specialized manpower along with heavy earthmoving machinery to clear blockages and assist the state machinery. Furthermore, rescue operations are utilizing cutting-edge scanning equipment typically operated by the Indian Navy. Equipped with precision sensors, this advanced system can detect signs of life buried beneath deep mud, soil, and building rubble, giving emergency workers an essential tool in pinpointing trapped survivors.
Destruction Across Ganjam and Kandhamal Districts
The cyclone and subsequent flash flooding took their heaviest toll on Ganjam and Kandhamal districts, where a combined population of 1,18,730 individuals has been impacted. In Kandhamal district alone, 3 fatalities have been recorded. Rapid evacuation operations carried out by the administration moved 75,855 people out of danger zones into safer locations. To care for those displaced by the storm, authorities opened 396 designated relief camps offering essential food, clean water, and medical care.
Care for Expectant Mothers, Property Losses, and Fresh Cyclone Threat
As part of priority health interventions during the disaster, emergency personnel safely relocated 807 pregnant women to healthcare units and shelters, leading to 399 safe childbirths. Property and agrarian losses remain widespread across the region, with floodwaters and slide debris damaging 75,388 hectares of standing agricultural crops and destroying or damaging 1,672 homes. Alongside active recovery work in Ganjam, state emergency authorities are maintaining a close watch on the trajectory of a new cyclonic system advancing toward the Andhra Pradesh coast.
