Cyclone Arnab has caused widespread flooding and landslides in southern Odisha. Four people have been killed and 12 are missing, officials said. Rescue and relief operations are on in the affected districts with disaster response teams looking for villagers trapped after a major landslide in Ganjam district.
Odisha government has sent personnel of NDRF, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Special Operation Group to trace the missing people. An Indian Navy helicopter with special ground scanning technology is also likely to be pressed into service for search operation in landslide-hit area.
Heavy rainfall associated with the cyclone has hit Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts flooding hundreds of villages and disrupting transport and essential services.
12 People Missing After Landslide in Ganjam
The search operation is being conducted at Gidipabali village under Baibali panchayat of Bhanjanagar block in Ganjam district near Kandhamal border.
The landslide occurred after heavy rainfall due to Cyclone Arnab continued for several days. Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil said the hilltop village had a population of 26 people.
Thirteen residents escaped, 13 were reported missing and one of them was later found. There are now 12 people unaccounted for as of Saturday, October 31.
VIDEO | Odisha: Three have been reported dead in Kandhamal district following a landslide triggered by torrential rain under the influence of Cyclone Arnab. Rescue and relief efforts are still underway in the affected areas of the state. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 30, 2026
Around 170 personnel of NDRF, ODRAF and Special Operation Group have been deployed in search operation. Rescue teams have been working since Friday night despite difficult conditions and debris-covered terrain.
Survivors said a large mass of mud and debris came down the hillside burying houses. Some people who escaped were injured and taken to relief centre near G Udayagiri in Kandhamal district.
Indian Navy Helicopter to Assist Search Operation
The Odisha government has brought in specialised aerial assistance to help with the search for the missing villagers.
A helicopter of the Indian Navy with ground-scanning technology is expected to survey the landslide-hit area in Gidipabali. The equipment will help find signs of people trapped under layers of mud and debris.
The state government has also sought technical assistance from Indian Railways for the complex rescue operation.
Special equipment will be used to help ground teams navigate difficult terrain and unstable debris. But it all depends on weather and safety of rescue workers.
Four People Reported Dead in Odisha
The cyclone-related rainfall has resulted in deaths in separate incidents across southern Odisha.
Three people including a nine month old baby were killed when the landslide hit a family home in Dangesi village of Kandhamal district. Another person was found dead in Gajapati district.
The state government has announced ex-gratia compensation of ₹4 lakh for the family of each person who died in these incidents.
Authorities are still assessing damage from landslides, flooding and disruptions in the affected districts.
Flooding Affects Hundreds of Villages
Rivers rose sharply due to heavy rainfall and hundreds of villages in southern Odisha were flooded. Rushikulya river also overflowed damaging roads and bridges and disrupting connectivity in several areas.
Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal were among the worst affected districts.
More than 23,000 people were in relief camps as authorities evacuated residents and provided food, drinking water and other supplies.
The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have also deployed helicopters to drop relief materials in areas which are still difficult to reach by road.
Food packets have been sent to identified places in Ganjam and rescue teams have used boats to reach people stranded by flood waters.
Roads, Electricity and Essential Services Affected
The cyclone and heavy rainfall have damaged infrastructure in all affected districts.
More than 15,000 electricity poles were reported uprooted in the affected areas which made power restoration difficult. Roads and bridges were damaged by overflowing rivers and landslides.
National Highway 16 (which links Kolkata and Chennai) was hit by flooding near Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border. Authorities are trying to get normal traffic moving again as water levels subside.
District administrations arranged drinking water through tankers and distributed bottled water in affected areas. Relief work has also been accelerated in towns and villages where flood waters have entered residential areas.
Odisha Government Intensifies Relief and Rescue Operations
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi flew over the affected districts and reviewed the situation with officials.
The state government has asked authorities to evacuate people first; supply relief items at relief camps and restore damaged infrastructure.
The administration has also increased personnel support in Ganjam and other affected districts to coordinate rescue and relief work.
The IMD has issued a yellow warning for heavy rainfall in 14 districts of Odisha. This means weather conditions could continue to hamper rescue and restoration activities.
What Happens Next?
The immediate priority for Odisha administration is to find the 12 missing villagers in Gidipabali and help people affected by floods and landslides.
Navy helicopter and specialised search equipment will be used for ground operations as well as NDRF and ODRAF personnel are still working in the affected area.
Authorities are also working to restore electricity, road connectivity and drinking water in the affected districts.
People have been told to heed instructions from local administrations, not drive on flooded roads or riverbanks and go to relief centres when asked to do so.
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