More than 62,500 people affected by flooding in Odisha's Ganjam and Gajapati districts following Cyclone Arnab.
Over 29,000 evacuated, while 2,328 people remained stranded by floodwaters in 70 villages of Ganjam.
Heavy rainfall caused rivers to overflow, damaging homes, crops, roads and electricity infrastructure.
Railway services were disrupted near the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, while landslides blocked roads.
Authorities considered helicopter evacuations as rescue and restoration operations continued.
Severe flooding continued to disrupt life across southern Odisha on October 29, a day after Cyclone Arnab struck the region, leaving villages submerged, damaging homes and crops, and disrupting electricity and railway services.
Ganjam, Gajapati and Malkangiri were among the worst-affected districts, where swollen rivers and streams inundated settlements following heavy rainfall.
In Ganjam, the Rushukulya river breached an embankment at Purushottampur, flooding fresh areas and leaving hundreds of families stranded. Several villages remained under waist-deep water, forcing residents to move to higher ground or seek shelter with relatives.
“We are badly affected. I do not think we can stand up. Arnab damaged our houses and crops,” said Sangram Sahoo of Chikiti village in Ganjam.
“We have lost everything in the cyclone and are planning to start life afresh in our village,” said Saroj Rao of Aryapalli village, whose thatched house collapsed during the storm.
The flooding also caused extensive damage to agricultural land and infrastructure in coastal villages. In several areas of Ganjam district, mud embankments built to keep seawater out gave way under the force of high waves on October 28, allowing saltwater to enter farmland and settlements.
Residents returning to their villages the following day found damaged houses, uprooted trees and fallen electricity poles. Power supply remained disrupted in several locations as repair teams worked to restore damaged lines. Many families were still assessing losses to their homes, crops and livelihoods, with uncertainty over how quickly normal life could resume.
Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg reviewed the flood situation on October 29 with senior disaster management officials.
According to the review, 299 villages across 22 blocks in Ganjam and 711 villages across seven blocks in Gajapati were affected.
Around 42,500 people in Ganjam and 20,000 in Gajapati were affected by the floods.
Authorities evacuated 11,882 people in Ganjam and 17,441 in Gajapati to cyclone and flood shelters. However, 2,328 people in 70 villages of Ganjam remained surrounded by floodwaters.
The flooding also prompted a series of high-level meetings to coordinate rescue and relief operations. Garg held discussions with Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil and Ganjam Collector V Keerthi Vasan before reviewing the response with Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
She also discussed the possible deployment of Indian Coast Guard helicopters to rescue people stranded in areas inaccessible to ground teams. District collectors were instructed to identify such locations and prepare lists of residents requiring evacuation. A decision on aerial rescue operations would be taken based on the urgency of the situation.
Officials were instructed to identify people requiring evacuation and ensure supplies of dry food, drinking water and other essentials.
In Ganjam, 27 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 24 fire service teams were deployed. Gajapati had 12 ODRAF teams, one NDRF team and 12 fire service teams.
Authorities also moved 550 pregnant women in Ganjam and 420 in Gajapati to safer locations.
Heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the Baghalati reservoir and Bahuda river caused water levels to rise sharply in parts of Ganjam.
Between 11.00 am and 7.00 pm on October 28, Patrapur block recorded 546 millimetres (mm) of rainfall, while Chikiti received 289 mm.
Water had been released from the Baghalati reservoir ahead of the cyclone to maintain storage capacity. However, heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas increased water discharge to 550 cubic metres per second by 11.00 am on October 28, prompting authorities to release water through four gates.
The rising Bahuda river flooded low-lying areas and disrupted railway services near Ichchapuram in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Railway authorities reported unusually high water levels near bridge number 1052, between Ichchapuram and Jatpura stations, leaving several trains stranded on both sides of the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border.
The Odisha administration was coordinating with officials in Ganjam and Srikakulam districts and the East Coast Railway to manage the disruption and assist stranded passengers.
Heavy rainfall also triggered landslides along the Kalinga Ghat road in Kandhamal, where a large boulder fell near Andharikot. Another landslide at Taptapani in Ganjam on October 29 disrupted road traffic.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 29, briefing him on the cyclone's impact and ongoing relief and restoration efforts.
Shah assured the state of assistance from the central government.
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the administration was prioritising public safety, continuous monitoring and coordination between agencies as rescue and restoration operations continued.