Odisha plans food air drops in Ganjam and Gajapati districts
Authorities are preparing to airlift food packets to people stranded by heavy rainfall linked to cyclone Arnab.
The Odisha government on Friday increased rescue and relief efforts in the Ganjam and Gajapati districts following heavy rain connected to cyclone Arnab, according to Outlook.
Floodwaters have isolated various areas for more than 24 hours, making ground access difficult. The state is preparing to air-drop food packets to people in pockets where roads and other links are underwater.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, stated that the intensity and specific location of the rainfall were unexpected. He noted that while officials anticipated impacts in Malkangiri, the heavy rain in Ganjam caused severe flooding.
In Ganjam district, the Patrapur block recorded 54 cm of rain within 24 hours. Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the 24-hour rainfall volume in Ganjam exceeded the area's annual average.
Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said approximately 50,000 people in Ganjam were badly affected. He said defence helicopters have been requested to drop food and water at 21 identified locations where access is impossible.
Flooding from the Rushikulya river has submerged villages and damaged infrastructure. More than 100 of the 313 rescue teams deployed across the state are working in Ganjam and Gajapati.