Five dead, ten missing as landslides strike Odisha after cyclone

At least five people have died and ten remain missing following a series of landslides in Odisha's Gajapati district in the aftermath of Cyclone Arnab, officials said on Tuesday. The disaster struck landslide-prone regions across the district as torrential rains from the cyclone destabilized hill slopes and riverbanks.

State disaster management authorities have launched search and rescue operations in the affected areas, with teams working to locate the missing persons. Initial assessments indicate that multiple villages in vulnerable zones sustained significant damage, with homes buried under debris and infrastructure disrupted.

In anticipation of further deteriorating weather conditions, the Odisha government has initiated a precautionary evacuation drive in landslide-prone areas of Gajapati district ahead of Cyclone Murasu's expected landfall on Wednesday. Residents from high-risk settlements are being moved to designated relief camps and safer locations.

The dual threat from consecutive cyclones has raised concerns among district administration officials, who are preparing contingency measures and deploying additional rescue resources. The state has put disaster management teams on heightened alert across coastal and hilly regions likely to be impacted by the incoming system.