India orders evacuations in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha as Cyclone Arnab looms

Indian authorities have ordered the evacuation of nearly 100,000 people in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as the nation braces for the arrival of severe Cyclone Arnab. The storm, expected to hit the southwestern Andhra Pradesh coast as a "very severe cyclonic storm" on Wednesday, is forecast to bring gusts of up to 150 kilometers per hour.

Torrential rain has already lashed the coast in the port city of Kakinda, with waves crashing violently against the shore. Cyclonic storms are a common threat in the Bay of Bengal and northern Indian Ocean, with the storm season being intensified by El Nino's unprecedented warming.

Neighbouring Nepal and Sri Lanka have also issued weather warnings, with Nepal's disaster authority predicting heavy rainfall, flash floods, and mudslides as the cyclone moves inland towards the Himalayas. The Nepalese military has been placed on alert, and tourists are advised to avoid high mountain areas. Odisha has opened 1,735 cyclone shelters and imposed movement restrictions in landslide-prone zones. A total of 50,000 people in Andhra Pradesh and 48,000 in Odisha have been instructed to move to safe areas.

Local residents have expressed concern over the storm's intensity. Kotesh Kumar, a 35-year-old resident, said he had never seen anything like it, adding that the government had warned people to stock up on groceries. The Indian Meteorological Department expects the cyclone to cause "total destruction" of thatched houses, local flooding, damage to power and communication poles, and widespread crop damage.

In Kakinada, police have barricaded roads leading to the sea, and Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister has ordered constant monitoring of the situation and the implementation of advance precautions.