Cyclone Arnab weakens after Andhra landfall as rescue operations begin

UPDATE - follow-up to Very severe cyclone Arnab crosses Andhra coast, weakens into severe cyclonic storm: IMD | LIVE: Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts on Wednesday morning before weakening from a very severe storm into a severe cyclonic storm. The IMD stated that the landfall process is complete as the system moved entirely over land, crossing near latitude 16.450 N and 81.90 E, about 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur, 40 km southwest of Yanam, and 60 km southwest of Kakinada, with winds reaching up to 150 kmph during landfall.

Evacuations and Safety

More than 84,000 people were evacuated to relief shelters across coastal districts, with the state turning 609 school campuses into shelters and closing schools in 16 districts. The APSDMA warned of gale-force winds in Kakinada, Konaseema, and East Godavari districts. Tragically, two separate electrocution deaths occurred due to exposed live wires: a 55-year-old woman in Yellamanchili town and a 53-year-old man in Visakhapatnam district. Meanwhile, Kakinada police rescued four people who were stranded overnight in a Central Warehousing Corporation godown after water entered the campus.

Transport and Infrastructure

Rail and air travel faced heavy disruptions, with 38 flights cancelled at Visakhapatnam airport, including international routes to Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, alongside train cancellations and diversions. A bulk carrier named Sigma Pearl, flagged under the Marshall Islands, drifted and became stranded near the Ravva oil field off the Konaseema-Kakinada coast following an engine failure after leaving Visakhapatnam port. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with 32,000 officials, instructing them to clear fallen trees within two hours and restore power safely once winds eased. Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan urged Jana Sena Party workers to join relief efforts, while Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that fallen trees across 10 railway network locations were promptly cleared.

Context

Tropical cyclones frequently form in the Bay of Bengal during the post-monsoon season, bringing destructive winds and heavy rainfall to India's eastern coastline. State disaster management agencies routinely coordinate large-scale evacuations and preposition response forces like the NDRF to minimize casualties during such high-intensity weather events.