NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: Severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’ has wreaked havoc across India’s eastern coastline and central plains after making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast, claiming at least five lives so far.
The powerful weather system slammed into the coast near Kakinada and Yanam packing fierce gale-force winds ranging between 125 and 135 kilometers per hour, accompanied by torrential downpours that uprooted large trees and snapped electricity poles. In response to the escalating crisis, local administrations swiftly evacuated nearly 30,000 residents from vulnerable coastal pockets in Odisha to safer relief camps. Precautionary school closures were enforced across 16 districts in Odisha and 9 districts in neighboring Chhattisgarh.
The cyclone’s extensive reach has altered weather patterns far beyond the coast, triggering unseasonal rainfall across more than 15 states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan. Central Indian regions like Satna, Katni, Chhatarpur, and Bhopal witnessed continuous downpours, while parts of Rajasthan registered a sharp two-degree drop in temperatures following overnight showers. State governments and disaster response forces remain on high alert as meteorological authorities warn that the wet spell will persist over the next 48 hours.
