Rivers in southern Odisha’s Ganjam and Gajapati districts have breached their banks, cutting off dozens of villages and pushing the state into a fresh emergency. The Rushikulya swelled to 17.5 metres at Purushottampur, surpassing its danger mark of 16.835 metres, while the Bansadhara crossed its threshold near Paralakhemundi and a landslide blocked the Kaipur–Gangabada road.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said about 2,000 people are now stranded, with 300 villages in Ganjam isolated by rain and flash floods. Red and orange rain alerts remain in force across the affected districts.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena highlighted that the most affected areas are Asika and Sanakhemundi, where roads to Berhampur and Sorada have been cut. Four sites in Ganjam will see the first phase of air evacuation, lifting roughly 120 people.
Indian Coast Guard helicopters and Indian Air Force aircraft are slated to join the rescue missions, though low cloud cover may delay operations, Garg warned. The state has mobilised 15 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams from Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Bhadrak.
Odisha is coordinating with the Union Home Ministry; Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged full assistance, promising central teams will assess damage and support relief efforts. The state’s record‑breaking rainfall—546 mm in Patrapur within 24 hours—underscores the urgency of the response.
Odisha has so far reported no cyclone deaths, maintaining its benchmark of zero fatalities since the 1999 super‑cyclone. The continued downpour threatens to keep helicopters grounded, making the airlifts a critical lifeline for the displaced families.