Bhubaneswar: In the wake of two back-to-back cyclones, which hit neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and triggered heavy downpours across parts of Odisha, the state government on Tuesday stepped up relief, restoration, and damage-assessment operations.
Addressing a press briefing on the post-cyclone situation, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced that the government has deployed four senior IAS officers with special administrative powers to oversee relief and rehabilitation works in the worst-affected districts.
The officers have been deputed to Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal districts for up to two months to ensure accountability, transparency, and rapid execution of relief measures.
>> Reena Panda (2021 batch) has been posted to Gajapati.
>> Ajit Kumar 2022 batch) and Tejaswini Behera (2023 batch) have been posted to Ganjam district.
>> Shiv Malaviya (2023 batch) has been deputed to Kandhamala.
Minister Pujari emphasised that these officers will function with the special authority of Additional Special Relief Commissioners (ASRC) to expedite grassroots-level operations.
He further stated that the officers will oversee transparent and prompt evaluation of losses incurred by people, including agricultural lands and residential properties, ensure that financial assistance and relief packages announced by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reach genuine beneficiaries without delay. They will also monitor immediate repair and restoration of damaged public infrastructure, roads, and power/water supply networks managed by various departments.
The Minister stated that while Cyclone Murasu moved inland toward Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, after making the landfall early this morning, heavy alert systems helped minimise direct casualties. Rainfall across the state has significantly dropped, recording an average of just 2 mm. However, preventive evacuations were carried out extensively in vulnerable pockets with 5,210 people evacuated in Ganjam, 726 in Rayagada, 629 in Kandhamal, and thousands more relocated to safe cyclone shelters in Gajapati and Malkangiri.
In total, 16,589 people have been safely shifted to over 592 functional relief and shelter centres, he added.
Pujari further said that multiple teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and over a hundred Fire Services teams remain prepositioned across critical districts like Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal to handle emergency rescue and clearing operations. Educational institutions in the affected zones remain closed as a precautionary measure.
He also mentioned that an eight-member Central team has arrived in the state to to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab. “After initial discussions with the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and district authorities, the team is conducting field assessments in Gajapati and Ganjam districts to evaluate infrastructure and agricultural damage,” he said, adding that the state government will submit a preliminary damage assessment report to the central government soon.
In response to severe flash flooding impacting localized pockets such as Aska, Soroda, and Dharakote under Bhanjanagar sub-division in Ganjam district, the Odisha Health and Family Welfare Department has mobilised immediate healthcare support. The department issued official communications on November 2, requesting five prominent private healthcare institutions—Vikash Group of Hospitals, SUM Hospital, HiTech Hospital, Apollo Hospital, and Mahanandi Netralaya—to deploy fully equipped Mobile Health Units (MHUs) to the hardest-hit localities. Operating under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and philanthropic initiatives, these mobile medical teams will comprise doctors, paramedical staff, diagnostic equipment, and essential medicines. To ensure efficient delivery on the ground, the mobile units have been directed to coordinate directly with the Sub-Collector of Bhanjanagar, alongside local district administration, police, and public health officials.