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Odisha to airlift 120 stranded people from Ganjam

By Drooid · Oct 29, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Odisha state government will airlift 120 stranded people from flood-hit Ganjam district.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said about 2,000 residents are marooned after Cyclone Arnab’s heavy rains.
Patrapur recorded 546 mm of rain in 24 hours ending 8:30 a.m. on October 29, a 35-year record.
National Highway 326 at Ledabandha in Mohana block washed away, cutting road links to Ganjam.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised assistance to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for relief.

History

The 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone, which struck on October 29, 1999, devastated the coastal state and killed over 10,000 people. The Indian government allocated INR1 billion for emergency relief, while the Indian Army air-lifted 5,000 evacuees and the Red Cross distributed 2 million kilograms of food. Today, Odisha’s Chief Secretary Anu Garg faces a similar crisis as Cyclone Arnab’s 546 mm rainfall isolates 2,000 residents and washes away National Highway 326. The 1999 disaster prompted the creation of the Odisha Disaster Management Authority, a model now guiding Amit Shah’s promised assistance and future resilience planning.

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The 1999 Odisha Super Cyclone, which struck on October 29, 1999, devastated the coastal state and killed over 10,000 people. The Indian government allocated INR1 billion for emergency relief, while the Indian Army air-lifted 5,000 evacuees and the Red Cross distributed 2 million kilograms of food. Today, Odisha’s Chief Secretary Anu Garg faces a similar crisis as Cyclone Arnab’s 546 mm rainfall isolates 2,000 residents and washes away National Highway 326. The 1999 disaster prompted the creation of the Odisha Disaster Management Authority, a model now guiding Amit Shah’s promised assistance and future resilience planning.

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