Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday undertook an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Ganjam and Gajapati districts in the aftermath of cyclone Arnab to review the prevailing situation.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari during the aerial inspection of the areas ravaged by the floods triggered by heavy rain.
From the chopper, the leaders witnessed firsthand the submerged villages, broken roads, and severed communication networks plaguing the region.
“Protecting the lives and property of the state’s residents during times of crisis is my utmost priority,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X after conducting aerial survey.
“The entire administration is working round the clock to ensure that food, drinking water, and emergency healthcare reach those affected without any hindrance. Instructions have been given to further expedite relief and rescue operations. In addition, directives have been issued to the administration to remain fully alert for the restoration of damaged roads and bridges, normalizing electricity supply, and controlling post-flood health issues,” Majhi said in the post.
The survey covered heavily inundated regions and swollen rivers like the Rushikulya, which was flowing dangerously high near Purushottampur, and the Vansadhara.
Sources said the Rushikulya River is flowing nearly two meters above the danger mark at Purushottampur, leading to catastrophic inundation across hundreds of villages in the Ganjam district. Floodwaters have breached homes—rising up to ten feet in certain areas—severely affecting blocks such as Sorada, Asika, Bhanjanagar, Dharakote, and Sanakhemundi.
Meanwhile, rising water levels in the Vansadhara and Mahendratanaya rivers have isolated numerous villages in Gajapati. Across both districts, over 1,000 villages are underwater, impacting more than 43,000 people in Ganjam alone, while statewide evacuations have safely moved over 59,000 people to higher ground.
Infrastructure has taken a severe hit, with washed-out roads, submerged bridges, and paralysed railway connectivity. To reach stranded citizens in cut-off pockets, the government has deployed Navy and Coast Guard helicopters, though rescue flights have occasionally faced hurdles due to low-lying clouds.
Chief Minister Majhi has ordered an immediate intensification of relief and rescue operations. Over 300 rescue teams have been mobilised, distributing cooked meals and essential supplies via boats while airdropping relief packets into inaccessible terrain. Authorities continue to urge riverbank residents to remain vigilant and strictly follow administrative advisories.