Odisha: The aftermath of Cyclone Arnab has left Aska market and surrounding areas in Odisha's Ganjam district grappling with heavy losses, after continuous flooding kept the marketplace submerged for three days and damaged businesses, homes, and livelihoods.
The cyclone hit the coasts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, causing loss of life and property.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president BC Das visited the affected area and spoke to residents about the difficulties they were facing. He said the damage across Ganjam district could exceed Rs 5,000 crore.
"I have been going around since yesterday. Based on all the information I have gathered so far from the entire Ganjam district, the damage exceeds five thousand crore rupees," he told ANI.
Calling for a long-term recovery plan, Das said the government must address infrastructure gaps, including drainage systems, rather than focusing only on immediate compensation.
"A proper plan is required. It is not enough to simply compensate for the damage that has already occurred while ignoring the long-term, permanent recovery needed for the future," he said.
He urged the government to ensure complete recovery and put safeguards in place to prevent similar devastation in the future.
"You need to provide adequate financial assistance," he added.
As floodwaters recede, traders in Aska market are trying to recover whatever they can from their damaged stock, often selling goods at heavily reduced prices.
Garments originally priced at around Rs 400 are being sold for just Rs 100 to Rs 150 as shopkeepers attempt to limit their losses.
Local garment trader Sarat Ghadei said his small shop had suffered losses of around Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh. Larger commercial establishments across the market have reported even greater damage.
"It's a disaster; the water rose fifteen feet here. Goods worth four hundred rupees are being sold for one hundred and fifty. …What else can we do? If we don't sell them, they'll just rot completely. In the end, we'd have to throw them into the river," he said.
The scale of the flooding was evident in residential areas, where even concrete houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana were inundated. Residents fled to higher ground to save their lives, losing belongings and sources of income in the process.
"Life was saved, but livelihood and belongings were lost," a local resident said.
Fisherman Paresh Nayak said his newly built concrete house, constructed with financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh under the PM Awas scheme, was completely submerged.
"We rely on our small businesses and livelihoods to feed ourselves; it will take us four or five years to recover. The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister should look after our settlement…We were inside the house when it flooded. People from the village helped us get out—they rescued the elderly, as well as the women and children from our home and the rest of the settlement," he told ANI.
Residents have also raised concerns about unauthorised constructions over a local drainage channel, alleging that they have obstructed the natural flow of water and contributed to recurring waterlogging during heavy rainfall.
Nayak said the blocked route had prevented floodwaters from draining into a nearby river, causing them to spill into residential areas and farmland.
"It (water) came from the back. There is a path for water to flow into the river, but houses were built right in that path. Because of these houses, the water couldn't reach the river and instead spilled over into our area, where we have our farmlands," he said.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi earlier met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss the post-cyclone situation, relief and restoration efforts, and measures to strengthen disaster-resilient infrastructure.
Majhi also expressed gratitude to the Union government for its continued support to the state.
An eight-member Central Inter-Ministerial Team visited Odisha from November 2 to 4 to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab, the Union Home Ministry said.