New Delhi: Cyclone Arnab weakened from a very severe to a severe cyclonic storm after completing landfall along the Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast on Wednesday morning. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said no loss of life had been reported so far, as authorities stepped up restoration work. Odisha has evacuated more than 30,000 people ahead of the cyclone’s expected passage through its southern districts.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclone crossed the coast between 2 am and 8 am on October 28, near Narsapur, around 40 km southwest of Yanam and 60 km southwest of Kakinada. Winds reached 125–135 kmph, with gusts up to 150 kmph, before the cyclone weakened by 8:30 am.

Naidu orders road clearance within two hours

Naidu directed around 32,000 officials and field staff to clear fallen trees and restore road traffic within two hours. Power restoration should begin once winds ease and conditions are safe, he said, also asking officials to assess crop damage.

Trees blocked roads between Kakinada and Amalapuram, while several streets in Yanam were obstructed. Banana and coconut plantations were damaged in parts of Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema district.

Police rescued four people stranded overnight at a Central Warehousing Corporation godown in Kakinada Anchorage Port after water entered the premises. All four were reported safe.

Andhra Pradesh has converted 609 school campuses into relief shelters, closed schools in 16 coastal districts and mobilised 17,054 NCC, NSS and Scouts volunteers. Authorities have also barricaded unsafe buildings.
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Odisha evacuates over 30,000 as red alerts remain

Odisha Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said more than 30,000 people had been evacuated, with Malkangiri among the districts expected to be worst affected.

Evacuations are focused on Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur, particularly low-lying and landslide-prone areas. Schools and anganwadi centres in 16 districts remained closed, while 2,037 cyclone shelters were kept ready with food, drinking water and other essentials.

The state deployed 313 response teams: 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams, nine National Disaster Response Force teams and 244 Fire and Emergency Services teams.

The IMD issued red alerts for Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati and Kalahandi, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, with more than 20 cm possible in some areas. Winds could reach 60–70 kmph, with gusts up to 80 kmph.

Heavy to very heavy rain and winds of 40–60 kmph are also expected in Bargarh, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kandhamal, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh. An orange alert is in force for Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Bargarh for October 29. Authorities have warned of possible landslides in hilly areas.

No major damage or casualties had been reported in Odisha at the time of Pujari’s statement.

The IMD expects the cyclone to move north-northwestwards, crossing parts of southern Odisha before heading towards Chhattisgarh. 
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Cyclone disrupts flights, including at Kolkata

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is monitoring disruptions at airports in Andhra Pradesh and connected routes. Visakhapatnam suspended operations from the afternoon of October 27, while flights at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry were suspended after 7 pm that day.

According to the ministry’s review, Air India reported six cancellations on Delhi–Visakhapatnam–Delhi services on October 27 and Delhi–Vijayawada–Delhi services on October 28. Air India Express reported 13 cancellations, mainly involving Visakhapatnam routes connecting with Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Vijayawada, as well as Varanasi–Bangkok and Bangkok–Visakhapatnam services.

IndiGo suspended flights at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry. Akasa Air cancelled its Delhi–Bhogapuram and return services scheduled for October 28, while Alliance Air reported normal operations at the time of the update. The ministry noted that IndiGo’s cancellation figures were provisional.

Several incoming and outgoing flights at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were also cancelled or disrupted as a safety precaution amid adverse weather. Knock-on delays were possible at Hyderabad, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur.

Passengers have been advised to confirm flight status with their airlines before leaving for the airport. Airlines have been asked to communicate cancellations and delays and comply with applicable rebooking and refund rules. Unresolved complaints can be raised through the AirSewa portal or app after contacting the airline.

With landfall complete, authorities are focusing on restoring roads and power in Andhra Pradesh while Odisha continues evacuation and preparedness measures ahead of heavy rain and strong winds.

(With agency inputs)