Cyclone Arnab Makes Landfall on India’s East Coast

Very severe Cyclone Arnab began making landfall early Wednesday along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast, with sustained winds of 125–135 km/h and gusts up to 150 km/h. Torrential rain, uprooted trees, snapped power lines and flooding disrupted coastal districts, while forecasters warned that a 1.5–2.5-metre storm surge could inundate low-lying areas, especially near Kakinada and Yanam. Authorities evacuated tens of thousands of people, deployed emergency personnel and urged residents to shelter indoors; Odisha also evacuated residents and restricted access to beaches and the sea. Rescue operations were reported in flooded parts of Kakinada, and the storm disrupted travel, including flight cancellations in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.