Cyclone Arnab Makes Landfall in India, Tens of Thousands Evacuated

Cyclone Arnab made landfall on India's eastern Andhra Pradesh coast early Wednesday, officials reported. The cyclone weakened slightly before reaching land but brought heavy to very heavy rainfall and wind speeds up to 135 kph (84 mph) to several coastal districts, leading to widespread disruption.

Authorities had evacuated tens of thousands of people from vulnerable coastal areas in the days leading up to the landfall. Prakhar Jain, head of the state’s disaster management authority, stated that over 89,000 people have been evacuated in Andhra Pradesh alone. Officials had placed all 20 coastal districts on high alert, with more than 12 million people living in the cyclone's expected path.

Over 2,000 cyclone shelters were established across the affected districts, and emergency alerts were sent to millions of residents. More than 30,000 fishing boats were secured along the coast, and nearly 1,100 medical teams were deployed. In neighboring Odisha state, officials planned to evacuate approximately 48,000 people.

The India Meteorological Department indicated that the landfall process was complete and that heavy rainfall and strong winds would continue to affect coastal Andhra Pradesh and parts of southern Odisha. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, some damage has been observed. The cyclone was expected to weaken further as it moved inland.