Cyclone 'Arnab wreaks havoc in Andhra Pradesh; 5 dead, IMD issues alert for 9 states
Cyclone 'Arnab' made landfall on the coast of Andhra Pradesh around 3:30 AM on Wednesday. It brought heavy rainfall, with wind speeds reaching 125–135 km/h. Five people have died in the state, and 31 houses have been damaged. Approximately 57,000 people have been relocated to safer areas.
The cyclone disrupted transport services, leading to the cancellation of 50 trains and 21 flights at Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam airports. The administration has issued a flash flood alert for 13 cities.
Between the morning of October 27 and the morning of October 28—a span of about 18 hours—Visakhapatnam recorded over 200 mm of rainfall. This is more than 1.5 times the city's average monthly rainfall for July (133 mm).
In the neighboring state of Odisha, schools remained closed across 16 districts due to heavy rainfall, and approximately 30,000 people were moved to safer locations. A total of 4,000 cyclone shelters have been set up across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued weather alerts for nine states: Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in several areas over the coming days.
The Indian Air Force has delivered 23 tonnes of relief material to the cyclone-affected city of Vijayawada using two C-130J aircraft. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations. The administration is on high alert, especially in flood-prone areas, and is working to move people and livestock to safe locations.