Coast Guard begins flood rescues in Odisha’s Ganjam

An Indian Coast Guard helicopter began rescue operations in flood-hit Ganjam district on October 29, as Odisha authorities sought to evacuate residents cut off by heavy rain and flash floods from Cyclone Arnab. The Odisha Special Relief Commissioner’s office announced that the helicopter operation had started. Chief Secretary Anu Garg said the state planned to airlift 120 people in the first phase, while low cloud and continuing rain could delay flights. The government was coordinating with the Union Home Ministry, and the Coast Guard was providing the helicopter. Garg said about 300 villages in Ganjam had been affected by flooding, including 70 cut off from surrounding areas. In a separate account of response efforts, she said airlifts were under way for 2,328 people from those 70 villages and that rescue teams had evacuated 11,882 people in the district. These figures were attributed to the chief secretary; no completed total for the helicopter evacuations was reported. Flooding also affected Gajapati district. Garg said 25 rescue teams had moved 17,441 people there to safety, while 711 villages had been affected by heavy rain and flash floods. About 300 metres of National...