Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said 2,245 pregnant women were moved to health facilities before Cyclone Arnab and 931 deliveries took place during the storm, showing the scale of its maternal response.
Majhi said both mothers and babies were doing well. An Oct. 24 statement from the Odisha Chief Minister’s Office said patients and pregnant women would be prioritized for transfer to health centers. EconoTimes previously covered Cyclone Arnab's coastal crossing and rain alerts in Odisha.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Arnab had cleared the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts by 10:30 p.m. ET Tuesday (02:30 UTC Wednesday). The agency reported wind speeds of 125-135 kph during the crossing, with peak gusts of 150 kph. Its Oct. 28 bulletin forecast heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Odisha.
The Press Trust of India (PTI) reported that some families in Odisha chose newborn names associated with the cyclone and weather, including Arnab, Barsha, Toofan, Pavan and Batasi. In Ganjam district, Chakradhar Sabar told PTI that his family named their newborn son Arnab after his wife was moved to a hospital before delivery. “We decided to name him Arnab. My wife was shifted to the hospital in advance for delivery because of the cyclonic storm,” Sabar said.
PTI also reported that medical staff at a community health center in Patrapur suggested Barsha for a girl born there; her family chose Barsarani.
