Cyclone Arnab makes landfall on Andhra Pradesh coast

Cyclone Arnab made landfall on Andhra Pradesh’s coast as a very severe cyclonic storm on October 28, with winds of 125 to 135 km/h and gusts reaching 150 km/h, the India Meteorological Department said. The department placed the landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, south of Yanam, and said the process was continuing in its early updates. Authorities reported large-scale evacuations in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha ahead of the storm. One account said nearly 100,000 people had been moved or told to move to safety, including about 50,000 in Andhra Pradesh and 48,000 in Odisha. Earlier figures described nearly 89,000 people being shifted in Andhra Pradesh and 48,000 planned for evacuation in Odisha, reflecting different reporting times and whether movements were completed or planned. The storm brought heavy rain and damaging winds to coastal areas. Trees were uprooted and power lines brought down in Kakinada, while fallen trees blocked Beach Road and Seethammadhara in Visakhapatnam, according to reports from the affected areas. The meteorological department recorded more than 200 millimetres of rain at locations in Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts between 8:30 a.m. on...