Cyclone Arnab makes landfall along Andhra Pradesh coast as severe weather disrupts travel and triggers evacuations

Landfall Process

The very severe cyclonic storm Arnab began its landfall process along the Andhra Pradesh coast near Narsapur town in West Godavari district at around 1.30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. According to the India Meteorological Department, the northern spiral band of the cyclone has moved further onto land, and the overall landfall process is expected to continue for another three hours. The cyclone was earlier expected to cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with a maximum wind speed of 115 to 125 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 140 kilometres per hour.

Travel Disruptions

The severe weather caused major travel disruptions across the region. Airlines cancelled at least 21 flights in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. At Vijayawada airport, five flights bound for Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, and Kadapa were called off on Tuesday, and airport authorities cancelled all flight operations on Wednesday as well. Meanwhile, traffic on the Ennore Expressway and other coastal roads in north Chennai and Tiruvallur districts of Tamil Nadu witnessed high waves lashing onto the land as a result of the cyclone.

Regional Impact And Evacuations

Southern Odisha remained on edge as the storm moved closer, with heavy to very heavy rainfall lashing coastal regions. The Odisha government relocated nearly 48,000 people from vulnerable areas to shelters in eight districts. Authorities set up 135 cyclone shelters and 1,600 temporary shelters to accommodate evacuated residents. Districts such as Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, and Nabarangpur faced red warnings with gusty surface winds reaching 60 to 80 kilometres per hour, going up to 90 kilometres per hour. Multiple disaster response teams, including 244 fire services teams, 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams, and nine National Disaster Response Force teams, were deployed across various districts.

Context

Tropical cyclones frequently form in the Bay of Bengal during the post-monsoon season, bringing destructive winds, storm surges, and heavy rainfall to India's eastern coastline. State disaster management authorities and meteorological agencies coordinate closely during these events to issue timely warnings, enforce evacuations from low-lying areas, and deploy rescue personnel to minimize loss of life.