Bhubaneswar: Heavy rain, coupled with winds reaching up to 50 kmph under the influence of severe cyclone Arnab, disrupted normal life in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday, uprooting trees across the city, damaging a prominent Gajalakshmi Puja pandal and affecting air connectivity to southern Odisha.The city witnessed squally weather conditions throughout the day, prompting emergency response teams to swing into action. According to assistant fire officer Jitendra Dash, around 60 fire services personnel were deployed after the intensity of rain and wind subsided to clear fallen trees and restore normality.“In Bhubaneswar, 12 big trees were uprooted, while 11 others were uprooted on the outskirts. The fallen trees were immediately cut and removed using mechanical saws. By afternoon, all green debris had been shifted,” said Dash.Several roads were temporarily blocked owing to fallen trees before fire service teams cleared the obstructions. The swift response helped prevent prolonged traffic disruptions despite adverse weather. Air travel also felt the impact of the cyclone.Director of Biju Patnaik International Airport, Prasanna Pradhan, said interstate flight operations remained largely unaffected, with only the intra-state Bhubaneswar-Jeypore service being suspended.A senior official from the state civil aviation directorate said flight operations to Jeypore were halted because the cyclone’s impact was significantly higher in that region compared to other intra-state destinations such as Rourkela, Jharsuguda and Utkela, where normal services continued.Meanwhile, the festive spirit of Gajalakshmi Puja suffered a major setback after the 80-foot idol of goddess Laxmi and the massive pandal housing it at Patia were damaged around 12.10 pm. Strong winds and heavy rain caused the towering structure, nearly comparable in height to a seven- to nine-storey building, to collapse from both sides onto the idol.The idol’s head was severely damaged in the incident. Two hydra cranes were deployed to remove the debris and stabilise the site.“I feel disheartened after seeing the pandal and the idol damaged in the rain and winds. Thousands of people were gathering at the Club Town ground in Patia to enjoy the puja, melody and dance programmes. The rain has dampened the festive mood,” said Chandrasekharpur resident Sisir Sahu.Despite the damage, organisers remain hopeful. “We are trying to clear the debris and make the venue ready for Gajalakshmi Puja to continue as scheduled till Oct 31. The idol makers will repair the damaged portion and the pandal would also be restored,” said Tapan Kumar Nayak, secretary of the North Bhubaneswar Gajalakshmi Puja Committee.Nearly 30 artisans from Jajpur had spent a month constructing the towering idol and elaborate pandal, making the damage a significant blow to one of the city’s major festive attractions.