When Cyclone Arnab slammed into India's Andhra Pradesh coast, residents watched anxiously as rising waters threatened to swallow entire neighborhoods. According to Al Jazeera, AFP, and Reuters, the powerful storm brought maximum wind speeds of up to 135kph (84mph), leaving a trail of fallen trees, blocked highways, and disrupted power supplies across the region.

Al Jazeera reported that authorities evacuated at least 180,000 people from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states ahead of the storm's arrival. Flight cancellations, suspended train services, and school closures followed as the severe weather system crossed the coastline on Wednesday, October 28. India's Meteorological Department warned of a potential storm surge reaching up to 1.5 meters above normal tide levels, threatening low-lying areas. An anonymous resident in the Kakinada district captured the widespread anxiety, telling Al Jazeera, "No one knew whose house the water would rush into next or whose home would be submerged." Al Jazeera also noted that authorities estimated more than 12 million people reside within the cyclone's projected path.

Background

According to the source material, India's Meteorological Department initially classified Arnab as a "very severe cyclonic storm"—the third-highest category on its scale—before downgrading it to "severe" as it moved further inland. The storm's reach extended well beyond India's borders. Reuters reported that authorities in neighboring Nepal suspended the issuance of trekking permits for three days during peak hiking season, warning tourists to avoid high-altitude areas due to risks of torrential downpours, snowstorms, and avalanches from Thursday through Saturday. Nepal is still managing the aftermath of a catastrophic glacial mountain collapse in August that killed over 1,400 people and left at least 5,000 missing. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Department of Meteorology also ordered school closures, warning of potential flash floods and landslides triggered by the storm system.

Why it matters

For readers across South Asia, severe regional weather events highlight the escalating vulnerability of densely populated coastal and mountainous zones to extreme climate disruptions. With millions in the immediate path of the cyclone and neighboring nations facing secondary hazards like avalanches, flash floods, and landslides, regional infrastructure and emergency response systems face renewed strains.