More than 180,000 people were evacuated in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha ahead of Cyclone Arnab, a powerful storm that made landfall on India’s east coast on Wednesday, authorities said. Trees crashed onto highways, electricity poles were uprooted and thousands of people took shelter.
No loss of life has been reported in either state. Power supplies have been disrupted, and some schools have closed. Some train and flight services have been cancelled.
Storm damage and evacuations in Andhra Pradesh
The India Meteorological Department classified Arnab as a very severe cyclonic storm, the third-highest category on its scale. The storm reached the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday morning, and its centre then moved fully inland, the agency said.
Also read: Cyclone Arnab makes landfall in India's Andhra Pradesh
Television footage showed fallen trees blocking highways, while workers in rain gear cleared branches and leaves from the roads. Nagi, a resident of Kakinada district, one of the areas in the storm’s path, said: “No one knew whose house the water would rush into next, or whose home would be submerged.”
Nagi, who did not give a last name, said houses had been damaged and belongings, including books, had been destroyed.
Warnings for fishermen and forecast winds
Fishermen along the coast were advised not to venture into the sea. The weather department said it expected losses to crops, thatched houses and communication lines.
Winds of 125 to 135 kph (77.7 to 83.9 mph) and gusts of up to 150 kph (93 mph) are forecast. A storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above normal tide is likely to inundate low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh, the department said. India’s civil aviation ministry said operations at three airports in the state had been suspended.
Nepal suspends trekking permits over Himalayan risks
In neighbouring Nepal, authorities suspended the issuing of trekking permits for high mountain areas for three days because of the risk of rain and blizzards. Gita Ghimire, an information officer in the Department of Immigration, said this is peak trekking season, with around 750 hikers receiving permits per day.
On Tuesday, Nepal had warned tourists against venturing into high-altitude areas. It cited fears that Arnab could bring torrential downpours, snowstorms and avalanches to the Himalayan region from Thursday night through Saturday.
Cyclone history and early-warning systems
Arnab formed over the Bay of Bengal, a major region for tropical cyclones that has produced deadly storms on India’s east coast. A super cyclone that killed nearly 10,000 people when it hit Odisha in October 1999 remains one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters.
India has developed early-warning systems and preventive measures over the years to minimise loss of life.
