Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 31: The Indian Navy has begun airlifting food to flood-hit Ganjam villages. Floods unleashed by Cyclone Arnab have marooned thousands of residents in southern Odisha. The Navy launched a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission for the region.
The move follows an urgent request from the Ganjam District Collector and Magistrate. The district administration flagged severe waterlogging and snapped road links across the area. Acting on directions from the Eastern Naval Command headquarters, INS Dega swung into action. The naval air station deployed a SeaKing and a Chetak helicopter for relief sorties.
Both choppers had already been stationed at Bhubaneswar as a cyclone precaution. Operations began on October 30, with flights running from Bhubaneswar to Gopalpur Helipad.
Officials say 21 villages across eight blocks of Ganjam are badly flooded. Nearly 14,300 people remain stranded, according to the district administration. They need an estimated 42.9 tonnes of food supplies. With many hamlets unreachable by road, air drops have become a lifeline.
The helicopters are flying repeated sorties within roughly 35 nautical miles of Gopalpur. They are ferrying food packets and other relief materials to the worst hit pockets.
Each lift carries around 1,500 kg of supplies. The Navy plans to deliver five tonnes of relief material in the current phase. Sorties are continuing as aircrews race to reach communities isolated by the floods.
The operation highlights the Navy’s preparedness and its seamless coordination with civil authorities. It also reaffirms the force’s commitment to protecting lives during natural disasters.
