Cyclone Arnab makes landfall in Andhra Pradesh, prompting evacuations and service disruptions
Cyclone Arnab struck Andhra Pradesh early Wednesday, bringing strong winds, heavy rain and a storm surge, leading to evacuations, power outages and cancelled transport services.
A cyclone moving in from the Bay of Bengal began making landfall in India's Andhra Pradesh state in the early hours of Wednesday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that knocked down trees and disrupted electricity supply, officials said.
The India Meteorological Department forecast wind speeds of 125-135 km/h (78-84 mph) with gusts up to 150 km/h for the next four hours, after which conditions are expected to ease. A storm surge of 1.5 to 2.5 metres (about 5-8 feet) above the normal tide was projected to affect low-lying coastal areas for the subsequent six hours.
Thousands of residents along the eastern coast were evacuated earlier in the week, and some train and flight services were cancelled in anticipation of the storm.
The chief minister's office reported no fatalities to date, though trees were uprooted in several locations and power supply was interrupted.
Arnab follows a history of severe cyclones in the Bay of Bengal, including the 1999 super cyclone that caused nearly 10,000 deaths in Odisha.