Cyclone Arnab lost much of its strength after crossing the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, but the rain has not stopped. Rivers in southern Odisha have overflowed, cutting off villages in Ganjam and Gajapati and putting the state into a fresh emergency. Odisha on high alert: The state government has put flood-hit districts on high alert. What remains of the cyclone, now a weaker depression, is still dropping heavy rain on south Odisha, and red and orange rain alerts remain in force. About 2,000 stranded: Chief Secretary Anu Garg said around 2,000 people are stranded in Ganjam and Gajapati. In Ganjam alone, about 300 villages have been cut off by rain and flash floods. 120 to be airlifted: About 120 people trapped at four locations in Ganjam will be lifted out by air. This is the first phase of the air evacuation. Focus on Asika and Sanakhemundi: Rescue preparations are concentrated in these two areas. Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena said most of the stranded people are here, in villages such as Sindurapalli and Mundamarai. Roads from Asika to Berhampur and Sorada have been cut. Coast Guard helicopters: Indian Coast Guard helicopters will fly the rescue missions. Garg warned that low cloud and continuing rain could delay them. Air Force aircraft expected: The state government says Indian Air Force aircraft are expected in Odisha to join the rescue. On the ground, 15 teams of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) are being sent to Ganjam from Khordha, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Bhadrak. Talks with the Centre: Odisha is in talks with the Union Home Ministry to coordinate the airlifts. Home Minister Amit Shah has promised every assistance to Odisha and other affected states, and central teams will assess the damage. Rivers above danger mark: The Rushikulya is flowing at 17.5 metres at Purushottampur, above its danger mark of 16.835 metres. In Gajapati, the Bansadhara has crossed its danger level near Paralakhemundi, and a landslide has blocked the Kaipur–Gangabada road. Record rain: Patrapur in Ganjam received 546 mm of rain in 24 hours, more than half a metre in a single day. G. Udayagiri recorded 462.4 mm and Sanakhemundi 388 mm. Water slow to recede: Garg warned that floodwaters may take time to go down, and rescue and relief work will be stepped up. Odisha says it has had no cyclone deaths so far. Andhra Pradesh, where Arnab made landfall, has reported several. Twenty-seven years to the day after the 1999 super cyclone killed nearly 10,000 people, Odisha has made zero cyclone deaths its benchmark. Arnab now sets a harder test: reaching families cut off by floodwater, under cloud that may keep the helicopters from flying. Satish Kumar Dash is a reporter from Odisha with 5 years of journalism experience, including 2.5 years at Times Now Navbharat.