Cyclone Arnab Nears Andhra Coast as Thousands Evacuate

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclone 'Arnab' LIVE updates | IMD raises wind forecast to 150 kmph gusts; landfall near Yanam; 61 trains cancelled: Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab is positioned 220 km from Visakhapatnam and 240 km from Kakinada, moving toward the coast at 20 kmph, and is expected to cross near Yanam by Wednesday forenoon. The India Meteorological Department has raised its wind forecast to 125-135 kmph with gusts up to 150 kmph.

Evacuations and Closures

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are relocating residents from vulnerable zones, with nearly 89,000 people on the Kakinada coast moving to 101 relief camps and Odisha planning to evacuate 48,000 people. Odisha Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh P. Patil stated that districts like Gajapati and Nabarangpur account for about 11,000 evacuees each, supported by 135 permanent cyclone shelters and roughly 1,600 temporary ones alongside 294 deployed rescue teams. Schools are closed in both states, fishing is banned, and Visakhapatnam beaches have been sealed off by police patrols under Collector Abhishikth Kishore. Rail and air networks face severe disruptions, featuring at least 61 cancelled train services by South Central Railway and multiple flight cancellations and diversions at Visakhapatnam airport.

Wider Impact

Heavy rain and strong winds are affecting north coastal Andhra Pradesh, with Visakhapatnam recording 37 mm at Tulasi Nagar Park and 36 mm at the 16th Police Battalion campus by noon. Rising sea waves have flooded coastal stretches in Uppada, Konapapet, and Moolapet, disrupting local traffic. The storm's reach extends to neighbouring states, prompting the Chhattisgarh government to place southern Bastar districts on alert, while IMD Amaravati Director K. Nagaratna warned of heavy damage to crops, livestock, and infrastructure.

Context

Tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal frequently intensify during the post-monsoon season, driven by warm sea surface temperatures. Emergency preparations by state disaster management authorities typically focus on pre-landfall evacuations and infrastructure checks to minimise casualties in low-lying coastal areas.