More than 180,000 people were evacuated from India’s eastern states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as Cyclone Arnab made landfall on Wednesday, uprooting trees and electricity poles, disrupting power supplies and forcing residents to seek shelter.
Authorities reported no deaths in either state, although the storm damaged infrastructure, brought down trees across highways and disrupted transport services.
Some schools were closed, while train and flight services were cancelled as the cyclone battered coastal areas.
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classified Arnab as a very severe cyclonic storm as it approached the Andhra Pradesh coast, with strong winds and heavy rainfall threatening coastal communities.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the suspension of operations at three airports in Andhra Pradesh as a precautionary measure.
The Bay of Bengal, where the cyclone formed, is a major breeding ground for tropical cyclones that have caused deadly storms along India’s eastern coastline.
A super cyclone that struck Odisha in October 1999, killing nearly 10,000 people, remains one of India’s deadliest natural disasters.
However, India has strengthened its early-warning systems and disaster-prevention measures over the years to minimise casualties during severe weather events.
Reuters
