Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Sunday assigned five senior IAS officers to oversee cyclone preparedness and response measures in five southern districts expected to face significant impact from an intensifying weather system in the Bay of Bengal.
According to an official notification from the General Administration Department, the officers will monitor ground-level arrangements, assist local administrations, and coordinate emergency response, relief, rehabilitation and restoration efforts. K Sudarshan Chakravarthy has been tasked with Rayagada district, Dr Poma Tudu with Koraput, Vijay Kumar Dash with Gajapati, Dr Yedula Vijay with Malkangiri, and Dr Maheswar Swain with Nabarangpur. These senior bureaucrats have been tasked with closely monitoring ground-level preparations, facilitating swift emergency responses, and guiding post-cyclone relief, restoration, and rehabilitation efforts.
Briefing the media, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said that seasoned officers who have previously handled severe disaster situations in the state are being dispatched to Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada, and Malkangiri, which have been categorised under Category-1 due to their high vulnerability to heavy rains and winds. “The deployed officers have been granted full administrative authority to make critical, on-the-ground decisions to safeguard human lives and property without delay.Kalahandi and Malkangiri (also overlapping within critical zones) have been placed under Level-2 preparedness, with administrative machinery fully alert across all 30 districts of the state,” he said.
Pre-Rain Reservoir Release Urged to Prevent Floods
Minister Pujari noted that after making landfall, the weather system is anticipated to move towards interior Odisha and subsequently into Chhattisgarh. The resulting heavy rain in western Odisha and neighbouring Chhattisgarh is expected to feed into upstream river systems, potentially increasing water levels in the Mahanadi river. To mitigate potential flooding risks, the state government has initiated active communication with the central government, as well as the neighbouring administrations of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, regarding timely and regulated water release from reservoirs. “If water is released before the heavy rainfall starts, it will prevent compounding the flood situation,” Pujari explained.
He emphasised the importance of coordinated timing to ensure that heavy river inflows do not coincide with peak downpours or high tide periods, which could otherwise obstruct drainage in coastal districts like Baleshwar, Bhadrak, and Jajpur.
“Life is invaluable, and safeguarding lives is the government’s utmost priority,” Minister Pujari said, urging citizens not to panic and to fully cooperate with local administrative guidelines as the state prepares to face the natural calamity.
State’s Preparedness
The deployment forms part of broader efforts as the India Meteorological Department has forecast that the system would intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm, and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam around the forenoon of October 28 with sustained winds of 115-125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph. While Andhra Pradesh is projected to take the primary hit, several Odisha districts, particularly the southern ones, are likely to experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Also Read: Cyclone Arnab Track Emerges; Peak Rainfall Impact In Odisha On Oct 28, 5 Districts Under Red Alert
The storm will be named Arnab, which translates to “ocean” in Bengali, contributed by Bangladesh as part of the regional tropical cyclone naming roster maintained by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the IMD.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, after reviewing preparations on Saturday, stressed a zero-casualty goal, drawing on the state’s experience managing previous cyclones and floods. He directed officials to prioritise public safety, timely evacuations and coordinated action across departments. Around 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams, 17 National Disaster Response Force teams and 225 Fire Services units have been placed on high alert in vulnerable areas. Eight NDRF teams, comprising more than 250 personnel, have been specifically stationed across districts including Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Gajapati, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Ganjam.
Cyclone and flood shelters have been readied for potential evacuations, with special attention given to shifting patients, pregnant women, the elderly and residents of vulnerable structures to safer locations and healthcare facilities. Health centres have been instructed to stock essential medicines, including anti-snake venom, and medical kits.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea amid rough conditions. Leaves of district collectors and critical staff have been cancelled, and educational institutions along with Anganwadi centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri will remain closed on October 28 and 29.
Also Read: Odisha Braces For Cyclone ‘Arnab’; Khordha Cancels Govt Staff Leaves Till Oct 31
Round-the-clock control rooms have been activated across key departments, including energy, agriculture, water resources and disaster management, to ensure continuous monitoring, rapid power restoration if needed, and guidance for farmers on protecting crops. Collectors in coastal and southern districts have been told to keep contingency plans ready and identify additional temporary shelters.
