A “very severe” cyclone slammed into India’s east coast on Wednesday morning, bringing winds of up to 150 kph, uprooting trees and knocking out power. More than 180,000 people were evacuated before the storm hit.
Cyclone Arnab crossed the coast of Andhra Pradesh state near Yanam between 2 and 8 AM, with sustained winds of 125-135 kph. It weakened to a “severe” cyclone after moving inland, the India Meteorological Department said.
Satellite images show Arnab’s broad cloud bands stretching across large parts of eastern and southern India. Although its winds weakened after landfall, the authorities warned that heavy rainfall could continue through Thursday, raising the risk of further flooding.
The six-hour landfall battered coastal districts, including Kakinada, Konaseema, and West Godavari. Strong winds brought down trees and electricity poles, blocked roads, and disrupted power supplies. The coastal road near Uppada in Kakinada district was washed away, while flooding affected low-lying areas.
Visakhapatnam district in Andhra Pradesh recorded 315 millimeters of rain by Wednesday morning; Koraput in neighboring Odisha state received 188 millimeters.
Ahead of the storm, officials evacuated residents across the two states, opened more than 2,000 cyclone shelters, and deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams to support communities in the storm’s path.
Operations at three Andhra Pradesh airports were suspended, dozens of trains were canceled or rescheduled, and some schools were closed.
The storm struck almost exactly a year after Cyclone Montha battered the coastline, damaging roads, power infrastructure, and crops.