OMM Newsroom
Thousands of people living along India’s eastern coast have been evacuated to safer areas as a powerful cyclone approaches. Some train services were also cancelled a day before the storm is expected to make landfall. Cyclone Arnab is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain, AnewZ reports.
The cyclone formed over the Bay of Bengal and has intensified since Monday. According to the India Meteorological Department, it is expected to reach the coast of Andhra Pradesh, in southern India, on Wednesday morning, October 28. Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to affect parts of the state and neighboring Odisha.
The India Meteorological Department said the cyclone would move at about 115–125 kilometers per hour, with wind speeds potentially reaching 140 kilometers per hour as it approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast.
About 50,000 people had been moved from vulnerable areas to shelters by Monday evening, according to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority. The total number of people who may need to be evacuated could reach 400,000. Relocation efforts are continuing.
Authorities are also preparing to move 4,711 pregnant women living in high-risk areas to health centers and hospitals. Officials said all fishermen at sea had returned safely to shore.
Schools closed, train services suspended
As of Tuesday, no evacuations had been reported in Odisha. However, authorities ordered schools and colleges in five districts to remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Schools have also been temporarily closed in other areas expected to be affected by the cyclone, while access to beaches has been restricted as a precaution. Television footage showed waves breaking on deserted beaches and shops closed in affected areas.
At least 12 train services in eastern India have been cancelled, according to regional railway authorities. Services on 53 routes along the southern coast have been suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Nepal warns of floods and landslides
Nepal’s authorities are also closely monitoring the cyclone. The country is continuing to recover from a flash flood in August that killed about 1,500 people.
Officials have warned that Cyclone Arnab could bring heavy rain, blizzards and avalanches to the Himalayan region.
The Bay of Bengal is one of the world’s most active regions for tropical cyclones. As a result, India’s eastern coastline is particularly exposed to severe coastal weather.
