Cyclone Arnab Affects 17 Odisha Districts with Heavy Rain as Gajapati Faces Severe Impact

According to reports published on October 28, 2026, severe cyclonic storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast early in the day, triggering heavy rainfall across 17 districts in Odisha. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that Gajapati is the worst-hit district and noted that the State government remains prepared to handle any eventuality as the weather system is expected to bring heavy rain until the morning of October 29 before weakening.

Official Assessments and Weather Warnings

• Rainfall Impact: As many as 17 blocks recorded average rainfall of 100 mm or more over a 24-hour period. Pottangi block in Koraput district recorded 188 mm, while Mohana block in Gajapati recorded 182.4 mm.
• River Flood Warnings: The Central Water Commission (CWC) issued warnings regarding above-normal flood situations in lower reaches of rivers including Mahanadi, Baitrani, Brahmani, Indravathi, Vamshadhara, Nagavalli, Sabari, Rishikulya, Daya, and Bhargavi.
• Meteorological Forecast: Manorama Mohanty, Director of the India Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar, reported that squally winds reaching 40–50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph prevailed over southern Odisha, with wind speeds expected to increase in specific districts.

Government Preparations and Relief Operations

• Evacuations: The State government reported the evacuation of 43,827 people to 634 relief camps across eight districts with the stated objective of zero casualties.
• Emergency Personnel: A total of 313 response teams have been deployed, consisting of 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and nine National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams.
• Medical Precautions: Authorities shifted 2,245 pregnant women nearing their delivery dates to nearby health centers, and 931 babies were reportedly born during the movement of the cyclone.

Readers can verify official weather updates through the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and advisories issued by the Government of Odisha.