Cyclone Arnab: BeMC Administration Intensifies Rescue and Relief Operations with ‘Mission Zero Casualty’

 Manoj Kanta Dash, Odishabarta

Editor-in-chief

Brahmapur, October 28, 2026 :The Ganjam district administration has intensified rescue, relief and emergency response operations to tackle Cyclone Arnab, prioritising the safety of vulnerable residents under its ‘Mission Zero Casualty’ strategy. The Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) evacuated 680 people to 11 temporary shelters on October 28, while emergency teams worked round the clock to clear roads blocked by fallen trees, drain stagnant water and address water logging in several parts of the city.

The district administration briefed the media on the measures undertaken to tackle the cyclone at a press conference chaired by Ganjam Collector-cum-District Magistrate V. Keerthi Vasan, IAS. Brahmapur Sub-Collector Avinash Kumar, IAS, and BeMC Commissioner A. Sasya Reddy, IAS, were among the officials involved in the district’s emergency response and preparedness efforts.

680 People Evacuated to 11 Temporary Shelters

According to the BeMC’s disaster management report, a total of 680 people, comprising 216 men, 331 women and 133 children, were evacuated and accommodated in 11 temporary shelters. Food, drinking water, health check-ups and other essential facilities were provided to the evacuees.

In a medical emergency, one inmate of the Khodasingi temporary shelter was shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MKCGMCH) in a BeMC advanced life support (ALS) ambulance after complaining of breathing difficulties. His condition was reported to be stable.

In another case, an ailing destitute woman was shifted from Babaji Tota Sahi to MKCGMCH on the directions of the Ganjam Collector. The Commissioner instructed the functionaries of the BeMC’s Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) to closely monitor her health.

Fallen Trees Removed, Roads Cleared

Coordinated operations involving the BeMC, Fire Services, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams helped remove fallen trees and restore road access in several localities.

The affected stretches included Aska Road, Gandhi Nagar, Subbarao Square, Utkal Ashram Road, Babaji Tota Sahi, Bijipur, Nehru Park, Gate Bazaar, Lanjipalli, Badriraj Nagar, Koutuki Nagar, Ananta Nagar, Nigam Nagar, Saradhabali and Mayuri Vihar, among other areas.

Collector V. Keerthi Vasan and BeMC Commissioner A. Sasya Reddy visited road-blocked stretches and monitored the restoration work carried out by the NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services personnel.

Drain Desilting and Waterlogging Management

The civic body undertook drain desilting and cleaning operations in several localities to facilitate the smooth discharge of rainwater.

The areas covered included Oum Nagar, Duduma Colony, Panigrahi Nagar, Raghupati Nagar, Brahmapalli Main Road, Ram Nagar, Markandeswar Mandir, Gosaninuagam Old Police Station area, Upendra Bhanja Bihar near Khajuria Road, Annapurna Nagar, Bima Nagar, Saradhabali, Kalinga Nagar, Sridevi Vihar, Basant Vihar, Ankuli Bada Sahi, Aska Road near Chaturbhuja Dharmashala, Jayadurga Nagar, UCP Colony, Prem Nagar, Dharma Nagar and Koutuki Nagar.

Water accumulated in vulnerable locations was removed using pumpsets at First Gate, Gajapati Nagar and Braja Nagar in the adjoining panchayat area.

BeMC cesspool vehicles were also deployed to extract stagnant stormwater from Gajapati Nagar, Raghupati Nagar, the Uttaramukhi Temple area, near Ashraf Petrol Pump, Harihar Nagar, Badriraj Nagar and Ashok Nagar’s Third Lane.

Polythene Sheets for Vulnerable Families

The BeMC Commissioner coordinated with the Tehsil administration to arrange polythene sheets for cyclone-affected residents living in kutcha houses and low-lying areas, providing temporary protection to vulnerable families.

51 Grievances Received at Control Room

The BeMC Control Room received 51 grievances on Wednesday, October 28. Of these, 23 concerned road blockages caused by fallen trees, while 22 related to waterlogging. The civic body reported that the majority of the complaints had been resolved under the Commissioner’s directions, with a few remaining pending.

The district administration’s coordinated response, involving evacuation, medical assistance, road clearance, drainage management and relief support, forms part of its broader effort to minimise the impact of Cyclone Arnab and achieve the objective of zero casualties.