Six killed in cyclone off India's eastern coast

Bhubaneswar, India - At least six people lost their lives and power outages persisted in various regions along India's eastern coast one day after Cyclone Arnab made landfall, officials reported. The death toll, as cited by the Times of India, could reach nine, resulting from electrocution, tree and house collapses. The official death count, however, stands at six, according to an Andhra Pradesh state government official.

Cyclone Arnab, categorized by the India Meteorological Department as a very severe cyclonic storm, the third-highest classification, struck early Wednesday in Andhra Pradesh. State Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced that about 15,000 electricity poles sustained damage, with power supply restored in most districts aside from Konaseem and West Godavari.

Technology advancements enabled authorities to predict regions likely to face the most severe consequences, thereby reducing loss of life and property, Naidu explained. A cargo vessel under the Marshall Islands flag, carrying 20 crew members, remained grounded off the Andhra Pradesh coast due to rough seas on Thursday. Over 180,000 individuals had been evacuated in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha prior to Cyclone Arnab's arrival.

Some schools were closed, and several train and flight services canceled. Cyclone Arnab originated over the Bay of Bengal, a primary region for tropical cyclones that have produced deadly storms on India's eastern coastline.