Cyclone Murasu: Orange Warning for Rayagada; Evacuations Planned on Nov 2

02 Nov 2026, 10:00 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Rayagada: Even as Odisha wraps up massive post-flood operations following Cyclone Arnab, the state is bracing for a fresh meteorological threat. Heavy earthmovers, specialized recovery vehicles, and rescue personnel have moved into key transit corridors across Rayagada district as regional authorities prepare for the impact of Cyclone Murasu.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) projects the system—currently tracked as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal—to move across the neighboring Andhra Pradesh coast by November 3. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra observed that while Murasu is projected to carry less overall intensity than Cyclone Arnab, heavy downpours and high-velocity winds still present significant localized risks.

In Rayagada, the weather alert level steps up from a yellow warning expiring November 2 to an orange warning taking effect on November 3 and 4, according to bulletins issued by the IMD and the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC).

To protect critical infrastructure, the Rayagada administration has pre-positioned hydraulic excavators, JCBs, and Hydra cranes at two vulnerable mountain passes—Gumma Ghati and Mukundpur Ghati. The machinery has been staged specifically to keep National Highway 326 operational against potential blockages caused by uprooted trees or debris.

All 11 fire station units across the district have been placed on active standby alongside the heavy machinery.

The deployment follows a high-level emergency readiness meeting convened virtually on Sunday under the Rayagada District Collector. Reviewing operational plans with block-level administrators, the leadership scrutinized early detection networks, relief camp logistics, emergency utility teams, and heavy clearance machinery.

Additional District Magistrate (General) Ravindranath Kahanra confirmed that Block Development Officers (BDOs), Tahsildars, and frontline departmental staff have been ordered to stay stationed with their equipment to respond immediately to emergencies.

Evacuation planning is concentrated on 17 specific zones marked vulnerable to landslides, alongside low-lying settlements lining the Nagabali, Bansadhara, and Jhanjabati riverbanks. Riverine populations have been cautioned to move away from the water’s edge to higher ground.

Kahanra noted that district teams will evaluate local precipitation data gathered on November 2 before executing targeted preemptive evacuations that evening. The schedule aims to have all designated flood shelters operational and occupied by vulnerable residents ahead of the orange warning period spanning November 3 and 4.

The preparatory push comes against the backdrop of broad recovery operations across Odisha. Data released by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) shows 75,855 individuals have been shifted to safer locations and housed across 396 operational relief centers due to Cyclone Arnab and subsequent flooding. State agencies have stabilized over 96 percent of disrupted electrical networks, relocated 807 pregnant women to healthcare centers, and kept specialized disaster teams on alert ahead of the November 3 coastal landfall.

(Source: ANI)