Odisha state officials deploy hundreds of rescue teams to prepare for Cyclone Arnab
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Authorities in Odisha, India, have deployed 313 response teams to prepare for the arrival of Cyclone Arnab.
These teams include 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force units, nine National Disaster Response Force units, and 244 Fire and Emergency Services teams. The state has also cancelled more than 60 rail services and closed schools and beaches as a precaution against heavy rainfall and strong winds. The current response follows a long period of disaster management learning in the region.
After a 1999 super cyclone killed nearly 10,000 people due to poor warning systems and a lack of shelters, the government established the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority in December 1999. They also created the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force in 2001 to provide specialized emergency response. These structural changes led to improved outcomes during subsequent storms.
During Cyclone Phailin in 2013, officials evacuated over one million people across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, resulting in a much lower death toll than in 1999. Another test occurred during Cyclone Fani in 2019, where authorities evacuated more than 1.4 million people in Odisha. While Fani caused extensive damage to homes and infrastructure, the death toll remained in the dozens.
The India Meteorological Department issued a red warning for six districts, including Nabarangpur and Ganjam, forecasting wind speeds of 50 to 70 kmph. Officials continue to move vulnerable residents to safety and keep people away from dangerous coastlines before the storm moves toward southern Chhattisgarh.
