Cyclone Arnab: Andhra Pradesh evacuates 89,000 people as state prepares for landfall

Cyclone Arnab has prompted the evacuation of approximately 89,000 individuals from coastal regions in Andhra Pradesh as the storm intensified over the Bay of Bengal and is anticipated to make landfall on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. The India Meteorological Department categorized Arnab as a very severe cyclonic storm, cautioning residents about the possibility of heavy rainfall and strong winds along the eastern coastline.

Reports indicate that the storm's outer bands began impacting certain parts of Andhra Pradesh late on Tuesday, with officials revealing that the anticipated landfall had advanced earlier than initially projected.

Prakhar Jain, a senior official from Andhra Pradesh's disaster management authority, stated that the cyclone could make landfall between 2 am and 4 am local time on Wednesday. He cautioned of potentially heavy to very heavy rainfall in multiple districts and urged heightened vigilance during the critical period preceding landfall. It was projected that the cyclone would impact the Andhra Pradesh coastline between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam.

In response to the impending cyclone, authorities in Andhra Pradesh relocated residents from low-lying and flood-prone coastal areas due to the expected heavy rainfall and strong winds. Officials warned that wind speeds could reach 140 kmph at landfall. In neighboring Odisha, preparations were underway to evacuate around 48,000 people from regions likely to be affected by the cyclone.

The state government had set up over 2,000 cyclone shelters across 20 districts, secured more than 30,000 fishing boats, and deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams. Emergency alerts were disseminated to residents' mobile phones, instructing them to monitor weather updates and seek refuge in safe shelters, avoiding tree sheltering during lightning.

Residents were advised to stay informed about weather developments and be prepared to move to safer locations. Authorities placed all coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh under high alert and initiated the relocation of people from low-lying and flood-prone areas to safer locations. Some train services were halted as heavy rain and gusty winds commenced affecting certain coastal areas, as reported by the AP.

The cyclone was progressing at approximately 20 kmph, as per Jain. Authorities emphasized that wind speeds could escalate to 140 kmph upon landfall, accompanied by extreme rainfall and robust gusts across various sections of the coastal region on both Tuesday and Wednesday.

The disaster management authority disclosed that over 12 million individuals reside within the cyclone's projected path. Over 2,000 cyclone shelters had been established across 20 districts, emergency alerts were being transmitted to millions of residents' mobile phones, and more than 30,000 fishing boats had been secured along the coast.

Additionally, nearly 1,100 medical teams were deployed to offer emergency assistance, as stated by Jain, according to the PTI. In the adjacent state of Odisha, plans were in motion to evacuate approximately 48,000 individuals from areas anticipated to be impacted by the cyclone.