The Odisha government on Friday has increased relief and rescue operations and has prepared to air-drop food packets in flood-hit Ganjam and Gajapati districts, where thousands of people have been stranded for over 24 hours due to floods triggered by continuous rain during cyclone Arnab, officials said.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, expressed worry over the unexpectedly heavy rainfall in Ganjam and Gajapati districts.