Several villages marooned as rains batter Odisha in cyclone Arnab aftermath; 9 trains cancelled

Cyclone Arnab triggered incessant rain, severe flooding and flash floods across parts of Odisha. Ganjam and Gajapati districts faced the most serious impacts described in the article. Several villages were cut off, while homes, standing paddy crops, roads, bridges and railway tracks were affected. The flooding created an urgent need for rescue and basic supplies.

Villages in Dharakote, Sanakhemundi, Surada and Patrapur blocks were marooned. More than 2,000 people were stranded, and about 120 people from four places in Dharakote were planned for airlift. Boats were sent into flooded areas, and additional Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams were dispatched to support rescue and relief work.

Berhampur city also experienced severe waterlogging, with rain entering homes in several localities. Rivers rose above danger levels, and railway services between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha were disrupted. Officials were assessing crop damage and planned compensation after floodwater receded, while authorities arranged safety measures for stranded passengers.

When a village is marooned, floodwater cuts it off from surrounding areas. Normal routes such as roads, paths and bridges may be submerged or unsafe. Residents can struggle to leave, while rescue teams may be unable to reach them by vehicle. Food, drinking water, toilets and medical help can also become harder to provide.

The article describes several villages under Dharakote, Sanakhemundi, Surada and Patrapur blocks as marooned. More than 2,000 people were stranded there. In Berhampur, rainwater entered homes in multiple localities, leaving residents marooned and completely cut off. The administration deployed boats to rescue people.

This situation explains why Odisha planned both boat evacuations and a Coast Guard helicopter operation. Boats can move through flooded neighbourhoods and reach nearby residents. A helicopter can help when water, low cloud or damaged transport links make surface access difficult. Officials continued assessing conditions before starting the airlift.

The hardest-hit rainfall was recorded in Patrapur block of Ganjam, which received 546.6 millimetres in the previous 24 hours. That extreme rainfall overwhelmed local drainage and contributed to flooding, waterlogging and rivers flowing above danger levels. Surada, Sanakhemundi, Chikiti, Digapahandi and Rangeilunda also received more than 200 millimetres.

The flooding left more than 2,000 people stranded across several villages in Ganjam. Officials planned to airlift around 120 people from four places in the Dharakote area. The government was coordinating with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to arrange a Coast Guard helicopter. Boats were also being used because surface routes were flooded.

The evacuation faced difficulties because rain continued and cloud levels were very low. Coast Guard officials were assessing whether flying was safe, while Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams supported local rescue operations. The scale of rainfall also damaged standing paddy crops, although officials said the final damage assessment would wait until water levels fell.

Cyclone Arnab produced intense and continuing rainfall across Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Rain falling over river catchment areas flowed into channels faster than rivers could safely carry it. This increased water levels and pushed major rivers above their danger marks. The result was greater flood risk for nearby blocks, villages, roads and fields.

The Rushikulya and Bahuda rivers in Ganjam, and the Vamsadhara in Gajapati, were reported to be in spate. They were flowing above danger levels at multiple places. At the same time, several blocks received heavy rain, while Patrapur recorded 546.6 millimetres in 24 hours. Such conditions can rapidly spread floodwater into low-lying settlements.

Officials said they were watching the rivers closely. Water levels also affected homes, crops, bridges and railway tracks. The article does not state when the rivers would return to normal, but officials expected water on railway tracks and a bridge to take six to eight hours to recede. Damage assessment would follow as water fell.

Train services were cancelled or diverted because flooding submerged railway tracks and affected bridges between Ichchapuram and Jhadupudi in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district. The East Coast Railway reported water flowing above danger levels over Bridges 631/01 and 630/01. Trains were stranded on both sides of the flooded bridge, disrupting the Chennai–Howrah route between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Flooded tracks can hide damage, weaken the railway formation and prevent trains from stopping or travelling safely. Fast-moving water around bridges can threaten their structure and foundations. For these reasons, railway authorities prioritised passenger safety, cancelled some services and diverted others. The article listed nine cancelled trains, including Vande Bharat, Intercity, passenger and express services.

Officials expected water to take six to eight hours to recede from the tracks and bridge. Passengers were to receive updates in multiple languages. Long-distance travellers could deboard at nearby stations, where authorities were asked to provide road transport, food, drinking water and toilets.

Floods can remove the usual routes used by ambulances, buses and rescue vehicles. When roads and railway lines are submerged, evacuation depends on transport that can operate over or through water. The aim is to move stranded people to safer locations and deliver essential supplies while conditions remain dangerous.

In Odisha, ODRAF teams were using boats to evacuate people from marooned villages. The administration also deployed boats in flooded Berhampur, where rainwater entered homes. The state government was coordinating with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to arrange a Coast Guard helicopter for people who could not be safely reached by surface routes. Around 120 people from four Dharakote locations were planned for airlift.

Additional ODRAF teams were sent to Ganjam for rescue and relief operations. However, low cloud and continuing rain made helicopter operations difficult, so Coast Guard officials first assessed conditions. The combined response shows how boats, aircraft and trained disaster teams can maintain evacuation options when normal transport networks are cut off.

A cyclone is a large, rotating low-pressure storm that forms over warm ocean water and carries powerful winds, clouds and moisture. When it reaches land, or makes landfall, it can release intense rain over a wide area. The storm’s rain does not stop at the coast, so inland districts can also face flooding and river danger.

In this event, torrential rainfall followed Cyclone Arnab’s landfall. Patrapur received 546.6 millimetres in 24 hours, while several other Ganjam blocks received more than 200 millimetres. Rainwater entered homes, flooded neighbourhoods and submerged railway tracks. Water also flowed into the Rushikulya, Bahuda and Vamsadhara rivers, which rose above danger levels.

Heavy rain can produce flash floods when water collects faster than soil, drains and rivers can absorb it. Rivers may rise quickly, especially when rainfall covers their wider catchment areas. The article describes continuing rain, stranded residents, damaged crops and transport disruption, showing why cyclone impacts can continue inland after landfall.