India readies mass evacuations as Cyclone Arnab approaches eastern coast
Authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are preparing to evacuate hundreds of thousands of residents and close schools as Cyclone Arnab is forecast to make landfall on Wednesday.
Two eastern Indian states are mobilising emergency measures ahead of Cyclone Arnab, which is expected to hit the coast on Wednesday morning. The storm, which formed over the Bay of Bengal, could bring wind gusts of up to 140 kph (87 mph) and heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across northern and central coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh and the southern parts of neighbouring Odisha.
Andhra Pradesh officials have identified about 570,000 people as vulnerable and plan to begin evacuations on Monday evening, while also ordering fishing boats to return to shore and urging rapid restoration of power supplies. > "The state government has taken steps to ensure that those in high-risk areas are moved to safety and that essential services are restored quickly," a senior disaster-management official said.
In Odisha, the government announced the closure of schools and colleges in five districts for Tuesday and Wednesday and is preparing cyclone shelters for residents of low-lying areas. The coordinated actions aim to minimise the impact of the approaching cyclone on the densely populated coastal region.