India to evacuate thousands as Cyclone Arnab nears eastern coast
Arnab, which formed over the Bay of Bengal before intensifying into a cyclonic storm, is expected to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh state by Wednesday morning.
Cyclone Arnab is set to make landfall on India's eastern coast on Wednesday, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of people in two states. The cyclone, which formed over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to bring heavy rainfall with gusts up to 140 kph (87 mph). Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are bracing for the impact, with the latter announcing school closures in five districts for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Odisha has also prepared to move residents of low-lying areas to cyclone shelters. The government in Andhra Pradesh has identified 570,000 people as vulnerable and plans to begin evacuations on Monday evening. Both states are urging boats in the sea to return to shore and are working to restore power in case of disruptions. The Bay of Bengal is known for its frequent tropical cyclones.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
