Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will undertake an aerial survey of the flood-affected districts of Ganjam and Gajapati tomorrow at 12 noon to assess the scale of damage and review the ongoing relief and rescue operations triggered by exceptionally heavy rainfall.
The decision comes as the southern districts continue to battle the aftermath of intense, heavy rains associated with Cyclone Arnab. Ganjam and Gajapati have borne the brunt of the deluge, with Patrapur recording 546 mm and several other locations crossing 200 mm. Thousands of people have been evacuated, roads remain disrupted in pockets, and specialised forces including ODRAF and NDRF teams are working round the clock to reach stranded residents.
During the aerial survey, the Chief Minister is expected to get a first-hand view of inundated villages, damaged infrastructure, and the condition of river systems, including the Vamsadhara. The overflight will help the state government prioritise areas requiring immediate restoration of connectivity, power supply, and essential services. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Shri Suresh Pujari, who has been monitoring operations continuously from the State Emergency Operations Centre, is also likely to join the survey.
The administration has already evacuated over 59,000 people across the state, opened hundreds of shelters, and shifted more than 3,000 pregnant women to safer healthcare facilities. In Ganjam, helicopter evacuations by the Indian Coast Guard have been carried out where boat access was impossible due to strong currents. Power supply has been restored at the majority of affected substations, and railway authorities have diverted or cancelled trains on the inundated Ichchapuram–Jhadupudi section.
Chief Minister Majhi’s aerial assessment is expected to accelerate the next phase of relief and rehabilitation. A Central team is also scheduled to visit the two districts shortly for an independent evaluation of the damage. Officials have urged residents to remain calm, follow administrative advisories, and cooperate with rescue teams as the state machinery remains fully focused on restoring normalcy at the earliest.
The Chief Minister’s visit underlines the government’s priority of reaching every affected citizen and ensuring that no one is left behind in the ongoing flood response.
