Severe Cyclone Prompts Large-Scale Evacuations in Eastern India
HYDERABAD, India — On Tuesday, Indian officials began evacuating tens of thousands of residents from vulnerable coastal regions in the eastern state of Andhra Pradesh. This action comes as a powerful cyclone, known as Cyclone Arnab, looms over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to make landfall on the country’s east coast by Wednesday morning.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Arnab has intensified into a “very severe” storm, bringing with it strong winds and heavy rainfall. As preparations intensified, authorities initiated the evacuation of individuals from low-lying and flood-prone areas ahead of the cyclone’s arrival. Some train services have been canceled due to preliminary heavy rains and winds starting to impact parts of Andhra Pradesh, with official reports indicating that at least 89,000 people have been moved to safety.
The state’s disaster management authority highlighted that over 12 million residents live in areas anticipated to be affected by the storm. Prakhar Jain, a high-ranking official in disaster management, noted that the cyclone is currently moving at a speed of around 20 kilometers per hour (approximately 12 miles per hour). He warned of “extremely heavy rains and strong gusty winds” hitting the coastal areas on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In preparation for the storm, authorities have set up more than 2,000 cyclone shelters across 20 districts. Emergency alerts are being sent out to millions of people on their mobile phones. To safeguard against the storm’s impact, over 30,000 fishing boats have been secured, and nearly 1,100 medical teams have been deployed to provide emergency care in affected regions.
Meanwhile, officials in the neighboring state of Odisha are also taking precautions, planning to evacuate around 48,000 residents from areas likely to bear the brunt of the storm.
