Two people died and two others went missing after landslides triggered by heavy rainfall wreaked havoc across southern Odisha.

Rayagada, Gajapati, Koraput and Ganjam districts were worst-hit, with uprooted trees, submerged land, cut-off roads and the destruction of thousands of acres of paddy fields.

The downpour, caused by a low-pressure system, led to flash floods in hilly areas, disrupting normal life and dampening Durga Puja celebrations. Fifteen tourists were stranded in the Mahendragiri hills on Thursday after roads were blocked following landslides. They were later rescued.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Friday confirmed the deaths of Trinath Nayak from Bastiguda Gram Panchayat and Laxman Nayak from Meripalli Gram Panchayat, both buried under debris.

A father-son duo, Rajib and Kartik Shabar, went missing on Thursday following a landslide near Pekat in Rayagada. Sniffer dogs have been deployed to locate them.

Train services on the Rayagada–Vishakapatnam route were disrupted.

Odisha commerce and transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said: “Fire brigade and officials are working round the clock.”

The road connecting Gajapati to Berhampur remains cut off. Thousands of acres of paddy fields were destroyed due to incessant rain in Parlakhemundi, Gajapati district. Sand from rivers has spread over fields, leaving villagers demanding compensation. In Ganjam, the Rushikulya river is approaching danger levels. Meanwhile, a massive gate erected for Laxmi Puja in Dhenkanal collapsed, though no casualties were reported.

The deep depression has weakened, moving into interior Odisha and north-northwestwards towards Chhattisgarh, expected to gradually diminish into a low-pressure system soon.