Naveen Patnaik skips Diwali in solidarity with Cyclone Arnab flood victims in Odisha
Synopsis
With Diwali approaching and 1.18 lakh Odisha residents still reeling from Cyclone Arnab, BJD chief Naveen Patnaik has chosen to forgo the celebrations entirely — visiting flood-hit Ganjam in person as a hilltop village of 26 people was wiped out by landslides and the state's death toll climbed to six.
Key Takeaways
Naveen Patnaik , BJD president and Leader of Opposition, announced he will not celebrate Diwali 2026 in solidarity with Cyclone Arnab victims.
Cyclone Arnab made landfall in Andhra Pradesh on 28 October , impacting 1.18 lakh people in Odisha.
The state death toll rose to six , with 10 people still missing; 1,672 houses and 75,388 hectares of cropland were damaged.
Gidipabali village , home to around 26 people , was destroyed by a landslide on the Ganjam-Kandhamal border; 13 survivors are sheltered near G Udaygiri .
Odisha announced a special relief package for affected families; rescue operations in Kandhamal remain ongoing.
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik has announced he will not celebrate Diwali 2026 as a gesture of solidarity with thousands of people devastated by Cyclone Arnab-induced floods and landslides across Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal districts in Odisha. The decision was announced on 7 November 2026, with the festival of lights falling on 8 November.
Patnaik Visits Flood-Hit Ganjam
Patnaik is currently undertaking a ground-level assessment of flood-affected areas in Ganjam district, interacting directly with families struggling to recover from the disaster. He said the cyclone had caused extensive damage across Ganjam and Gajapati, leaving thousands in acute distress, and that the ongoing suffering of affected families made any personal celebration untenable for him.
He also drew attention to the continuing search operations in Kandhamal district, where several people remain missing following landslides triggered by cyclone-induced rainfall. Rescue teams are still working to trace those feared buried under debris.
Scale of the Disaster
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Rajesh P Patil confirmed that Cyclone Arnab, which made landfall in Andhra Pradesh on 28 October, had impacted 1.18 lakh people in Odisha by the time it swept inland. The storm and subsequent flooding damaged 1,672 houses and affected 75,388 hectares of crop area, according to official figures.
The state's death toll from the cyclone rose to six as of Sunday, with 10 people still reported missing. The Odisha government has announced a special relief package for affected families, though details of the outlay were not immediately disclosed.
Village Wiped Off the Map
Among the most dramatic losses was the near-total destruction of Gidipabali village, a hilltop settlement of around 26 people located on the border of Ganjam and Kandhamal districts. A massive cascade of sludge and debris swept down the hillside, levelling homes and effectively erasing the village. At least 13 survivors who managed to escape have been sheltered at a relief centre near G Udaygiri.
State Response and Future Strategy
Odisha officials say the state is reviewing and adopting new disaster mitigation strategies in the wake of Cyclone Arnab's impact — a signal that authorities acknowledge existing preparedness frameworks were stretched. This comes amid a broader pattern of increasingly intense cyclonic systems making landfall along India's eastern coastline, with Odisha among the most frequently affected states.
Notably, Patnaik's symbolic gesture echoes a wider tradition of public figures in India foregoing festival celebrations following large-scale natural calamities — a practice seen as amplifying political empathy in disaster-hit constituencies. With rescue and relief operations still ongoing, the focus in affected districts will remain on immediate recovery over the days ahead.
Point of View
Not just issuing a statement from Bhubaneswar. What the story exposes, however, is the recurring vulnerability of Odisha's border districts to cyclone-induced landslides, an under-reported dimension that sits apart from the coastal flooding narrative. The destruction of Gidipabali is a stark reminder that early warning systems and evacuation protocols for interior hill villages lag far behind those on the coast. The special relief package announced by the state government remains unquantified in public statements, which makes accountability difficult and leaves affected families uncertain about what aid is actually coming.
NationPress
7 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Naveen Patnaik not celebrating Diwali 2026?
Naveen Patnaik has decided to forgo Diwali celebrations as a mark of solidarity with people affected by Cyclone Arnab-induced floods and landslides in Odisha's Ganjam, Gajapati, and Kandhamal districts. He is currently visiting flood-hit areas in Ganjam to assess damage and meet affected families.
What damage did Cyclone Arnab cause in Odisha?
Cyclone Arnab, which made landfall in Andhra Pradesh on 28 October 2026, affected 1.18 lakh people in Odisha, damaged 1,672 houses, and destroyed 75,388 hectares of crop area, according to Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P Patil. The state death toll stood at six, with 10 people still missing.
What happened to Gidipabali village in Odisha?
Gidipabali, a hilltop village of around 26 residents on the Ganjam-Kandhamal border, was effectively wiped out when a massive landslide sent sludge and debris cascading down the hillside, levelling all houses. At least 13 survivors have been sheltered at a relief centre near G Udaygiri.
What relief measures has Odisha announced for Cyclone Arnab victims?
The Odisha government has announced a special relief package for families affected by Cyclone Arnab, though the specific financial details of the package have not been publicly disclosed. Rescue operations to trace missing persons in Kandhamal district are still ongoing.
When is Diwali 2026 and what is its significance in this context?
Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November, according to the Hindu calendar. The timing makes Patnaik's decision to skip celebrations particularly visible, as it coincides directly with active rescue and relief operations in multiple Odisha districts still recovering from the cyclone.
