INDIA 🔗 Part of: Natural Disasters and Environmental Emergencies (34) · 29 Oct 2026 · 02:45 GMT ·2 min read

Cyclone Arnab Makes Landfall in Andhra Pradesh and Yanam: Response and Impact Assessment

Cyclone Arnab struck India's east coast on October 28, 2026, with 135 km/h winds.

NEUTRALITY 81 · BALANCED· 7 sources

Times of India

Cyclone Arnab struck India's east coast on October 28, 2026, with 135 km/h winds. The storm crossed Andhra Pradesh and Yanam between 2 am and 8 am. Authorities evacuated 180,000 people. DW reported that nearly 100,000 people fled Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Nearly 40 National Disaster Response Force teams managed the impact. Officials cancelled 64 trains as a precaution. The storm killed three people. It destroyed infrastructure, including 6,000 electricity poles in Andhra Pradesh. The system weakened from a very severe to a severe cyclonic storm.

Context

The storm made landfall at 1:20 a.m. On October 28, 2026. It crossed the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam over six hours. The storm forced the cancellation of 64 trains.

Supportive perspectives

Authorities evacuated 180,000 people from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before the storm arrived. Officials established more than 2,000 cyclone shelters across 20 districts in Andhra Pradesh. These shelters housed the displaced residents.
The Andhra Pradesh government mobilized 8,400 personnel to restore power after the storm. Authorities deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams to provide care. The government prepared 8,281 emergency beds across the state to treat potential injuries.
Officials sent cyclone alerts to the mobile phones of 27 million people across 18 districts. The messages warned residents of the approaching weather. Authorities relocated 2,360 pregnant women to medical facilities in Andhra Pradesh as a precaution.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed 31 teams across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Yanam to lead relief efforts. Authorities also positioned 11 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams in Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

Critical perspectives

At least three people died in India due to the cyclone. A 65-year-old man in Visakhapatnam died after contact with a snapped live electrical wire during the storm.
The storm destroyed at least 180 houses in Andhra Pradesh. The storm uprooted nearly 6,000 electricity poles in the Konaseema district. This damage cut power supplies to the region.
The cyclone disrupted regional transport and education. The storm forced the cancellation of 64 trains. In Sri Lanka, authorities closed schools to mitigate flash flood risks. Nepal suspended trekking permits for three days to prevent accidents.
The storm moved inland at 4 kilometers per hour. Following landfall, the system weakened from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm. The storm continued to threaten inland areas.