Bhubaneswar:
More than 900 babies were born in Odisha during the passage of Cyclone Arnab, with several parents choosing to name their newborn children after the storm that battered parts of the State.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said 2,245 pregnant women had been shifted to different healthcare institutions ahead of the cyclone to ensure safe deliveries. Of them, 931 women gave birth during the period.
Reviewing the post-landfall situation on Wednesday, Majhi said both the mothers and their newborn babies were doing well.
The precautionary evacuation of pregnant women was undertaken as the cyclone brought heavy rainfall and strong winds, particularly affecting southern Odisha.
The cyclone crossed the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh coast between 2 am and 8 am, bringing widespread rainfall to several parts of Odisha.
The State government had prioritised the shifting of expectant mothers to hospitals and healthcare centres to avoid complications during the adverse weather conditions.
The unusual circumstances surrounding the births also prompted several families to choose names associated with the cyclone and the weather.
Some parents named their newborn boys Arnab, while girls were named Barsha. Other names included Toofan and Pavan for boys and Batasi for girls.
Among them was Sukanti Pradhan, 30, of Bengei Sahi in Patrapur, who delivered a boy at the Community Health Centre in Patrapur. Her family named the newborn Arnab.
Pradhan, who became a mother for the first time, was delighted with the birth. Her husband, Chakradhar Sabar, said they had decided on the name because of the cyclone.
He said his wife had been shifted to the hospital in advance as a precautionary measure.
The medical officer of the health centre, Sambit Begray, issued the birth certificate after the family chose the name. Both mother and child were discharged after their health conditions were found to be stable.
Another family chose the name Barsarani for their newborn daughter.
Rukmuni Behera, 22, of Chikarada delivered a girl at the same hospital at 9.08 am. Her family said the name Barsha was suggested by medical staff as heavy rain lashed the area around the time of the birth.
In Ganjam district, the administration had shifted 493 pregnant women to nearby hospitals as a precautionary measure from October 25.
District Chief Medical and Public Health Officer S Kameswar Rao said 220 women had delivered by 1 pm. The newborns included 101 boys and 119 girls, and both mothers and babies were reported to be in good condition.
Some of the women and their newborns had already been discharged.
Cyclone Arnab was named by Bangladesh. The name is pronounced ‘Ornab’ and is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Arṇava’, meaning ocean or vast water. It is also a commonly used name in Bengal.
Cyclones over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea are named by members of the World Meteorological Organisation and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific panel on tropical cyclones.
The naming system, introduced in 2004, helps distinguish storms occurring around the same period and makes it easier for authorities and the public to identify them.
The Odisha government’s advance evacuation of pregnant women helped ensure that deliveries could take place in healthcare institutions despite the difficult weather conditions.