Cyclone Arnab causes four deaths and leaves 12 missing in Odisha
An Indian Navy helicopter will be deployed to assist search operations following a landslide in Bhanjanagar.
Cyclone Arnab has caused four deaths and left 12 people missing in Odisha following heavy rainfall, flooding, and a landslide. Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil confirmed that three family members died in Kandhamal district's Raikia block and one person was confirmed dead in Gajapati district.
In Gidipabali village near Bhanjanagar, one person has been found out of 13 initially reported missing after a landslide. Search operations continue for the remaining 12 people, as approximately 50 people were in the village when the incident occurred.
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said an advanced Indian Navy helicopter will fly from Bhubaneswar Airport to Bhanjanagar to scan the landslide area for trapped individuals. The state government has also requested help from the Railways and will send an expert team to Ganjam.
In Ganjam, 367 relief camps are accommodating people from areas where 1,05,622 people have been affected. Patrapur block in Ganjam recorded the highest rainfall in the state, though the Rushikulya River remains below the danger mark.
In Gajapati, 21,782 people have been affected and 340 relief camps have been established. Connectivity has been restored to almost all villages, except for one isolated village where relief materials will be air-dropped.
Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed sadness over the deaths and missing persons in Kandhamal. He called for prompt government action to rescue those impacted and return the region to normalcy.