Cyclone Arnab Kills Two People After Striking Indian Coast

Cyclone Arnab struck India's southeastern coast on Wednesday, bringing torrential rain and powerful winds that killed two people and forced nearly 100,000 residents to evacuate their homes.

The storm made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with sustained winds reaching up to 135 kilometres per hour, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Authorities reported that two people died from electrocution in separate incidents as the severe weather downed numerous utility poles and disrupted local travel networks.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to prioritize safety and restoration efforts across the affected regions.

"Protecting every life is our foremost priority," said Nara Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Emergency personnel deployed medical teams and secured thousands of fishing boats along the vulnerable coastline ahead of the impact.

Flight operations across coastal Andhra Pradesh faced widespread cancellations and suspensions as adverse weather conditions persisted.

Local police reported that infrastructure damage included uprooted trees, damaged roads, and washed-away segments of coastal roadways.

"Cyclone Arnab had significantly affected the district, uprooting a few hundred trees and fewer than 100 electric poles," said G Bindu Madhav, the superintendent of police in Kakinada.

Another official confirmed that teams were monitoring rising water levels while assessing infrastructure damage in remote areas.

"No loss of life or major damage to infrastructure, houses or livestock has been reported so far," said Amit Bardar, the superintendent of police in Alluri Sitaramaraju district.

The storm system later moved inland and weakened into a depression over south Chhattisgarh and adjoining south Odisha, bringing heavy rainfall to several states.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department reported that a fresh low-pressure area had formed over the south Andaman Sea.

Meteorologists are tracking whether this new system will intensify further as communities continue recovery work from Cyclone Arnab.