Cyclone Arnab triggers heavy rainfall in Odisha, thousands evacuated from eight districts
Cyclone Arnab has brought torrential rain to Odisha, prompting the government to relocate thousands of people from at-risk areas. Over 48,000 individuals have been moved to cyclone shelters and temporary accommodations across eight districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts the storm will reach Yanam coasts by Wednesday morning, potentially intensifying into a "very severe cyclonic storm" with wind speeds of 125-135 kmph.
Eight Odisha districts, including Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabrangpur and Malkangiri, are under red alert due to the imminent heavy rainfall and strong winds. Some areas, particularly Malkangiri, are expected to endure the storm's brunt, with maximum rainfall and wind speeds anticipated. Odisha's special relief commissioner, Rajesh Patil, has allocated Rs 19 crore from the state disaster response fund to aid in preparedness and evacuation efforts.
The state has deployed 244 fire services teams, 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, and nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams with necessary equipment to support local authorities during evacuations and post-storm recovery.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express - India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
