Cyclone Arnab has caused widespread disruption along India's eastern coast, forcing mass evacuations in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha as authorities responded to heavy rainfall, powerful winds and the risk of flooding. At least 89,000 people were evacuated in Andhra Pradesh, while more than 180,000 people were moved to safer areas across the two states ahead of the storm's impact.

The cyclone made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast early Wednesday after weakening slightly before reaching land. Despite losing some strength, the storm brought heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds to coastal areas, affecting parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority chief Prakhar Jain said the cyclone weakened before landfall but continued to affect several coastal districts.

Authorities said no deaths had been reported in Andhra Pradesh, while damage assessment operations continued. Wind speeds reached around 135 kilometres per hour, with officials expecting the system to weaken further as it moved inland.

Konaseema among worst-hit areas

The Konaseema region in Andhra Pradesh was among the areas most affected by Cyclone Arnab.

Banana and coconut plantations suffered extensive damage, while strong winds uprooted trees and electricity poles, causing power outages in several locations.

Officials said around 6,000 electricity poles were damaged or brought down in Konaseema alone. Emergency teams began clearing fallen trees from roads to restore transport links.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone's landfall process had been completed, but heavy rainfall and strong winds continued in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha.

In the port city of Visakhapatnam, some low-lying areas experienced flooding, while infrastructure damage and power disruptions were reported in affected areas.

Thousands evacuated as storm hits eastern coast

Authorities began evacuation operations after Cyclone Arnab strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and moved toward India's eastern coastline.

In Andhra Pradesh, at least 89,000 people were evacuated from vulnerable areas. In neighbouring Odisha, authorities also moved tens of thousands of residents to safer locations, with preparations focused on coastal and low-lying districts.

More than 2,000 cyclone shelters were prepared across 20 districts, emergency warnings were sent through mobile networks, more than 30,000 fishing boats were moved to safety, and around 1,100 medical teams were deployed.

The cyclone also disrupted transport services. Several train services were cancelled as a precaution, while some flight operations were affected in the region.

Authorities said the storm was expected to gradually weaken as it moved inland, but warned that heavy rainfall and strong winds could continue in affected areas.(ILKHA)