India evacuates tens of thousands as Cyclone Arnab strengthens
India is evacuating tens of thousands of residents from its eastern coast as Cyclone Arnab strengthens over the Bay of Bengal and threatens to strike Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with sustained winds of up to 78mph.
Evacuations Underway Across Coastal Districts
Nearly 50,000 people had been moved out of vulnerable areas and placed into temporary shelters by Monday night. Prakhar Jain, managing director of Andhra Pradesh’s disaster management authority, stated that about 400,000 people will ultimately need to be relocated from the path of the storm.
At least 89,000 people have so far been evacuated in Andhra Pradesh. Officials established over 2,000 cyclone shelters across 20 districts and deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams to assist affected areas.
In neighboring Odisha, authorities planned to evacuate approximately 48,000 people from regions in the storm’s trajectory. Over 30,000 fishing boats were secured along the coast as conditions deteriorated.
Cyclone Arnab Moves Toward Visakhapatnam Coast
The India Meteorological Department warned that Cyclone Arnab strengthened into a very severe cyclonic storm. The system was centered approximately 260 kilometers southeast of Visakhapatnam, the most populous city in Andhra Pradesh.
Forecasters track the system moving northwest at about 20 kilometers per hour. Landfall is expected between early Wednesday morning and 11:30 am local time, bringing sustained winds of 115 to 125 km/h and gusts reaching up to 140 km/h.
Jain noted that the outer bands of the cyclone began lashing parts of the coast earlier than initially predicted. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is projected across several districts throughout Tuesday and Wednesday.
Infrastructure Disruptions and Regional Impacts
Transportation networks sustained immediate disruptions as the storm approached. Railway authorities canceled at least 12 trains in eastern India and suspended services on 53 routes along the southern coast for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Video footage from Andhra Pradesh showed trees bent almost horizontally by fierce gusts and torrential rain. More than 12 million people reside within the projected inland path of the storm.
Further north, authorities in Nepal advised tourists to avoid high-altitude areas. Officials expressed concern that Cyclone Arnab could trigger heavy rain, snowstorms, and avalanches in the Himalayas.