Severe Cyclone Arnab Batters Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Disrupts Transport and Power Supply

Severe Cyclone Arnab battered coastal Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, bringing powerful winds, torrential rain and rough seas. Uprooted trees, fallen electricity poles and damaged hoardings were reported in several areas, while low-lying neighbourhoods were flooded. Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Anakapalli, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Kakinada and East Godavari districts experienced heavy to extremely heavy rainfall. By 10 p.m., Visakhapatnam recorded 192.89 mm of rainfall, while Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram district received 162.75 mm. The storm disrupted transport services, with 63 trains cancelled, 15 rescheduled and 160 APSRTC services suspended in Visakhapatnam district. Authorities also imposed restrictions on night travel in Visakhapatnam and several other districts as the cyclone intensified.

According to the India Meteorological Department's forecast cited in the report, the cyclone was moving northwestwards and was expected to cross the coast near Yanam between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Wednesday, with wind speeds of 125–135 km/h and gusts potentially reaching 150 km/h. Coastal areas faced dangerous waves, flooding and damage to infrastructure. Several trees fell in Visakhapatnam, disrupting electricity supply, while roads were inundated in parts of Srikakulam. Residents of riverside villages in Burja mandal were shifted to relief centres. Near Kothapatnam, close to Uppada, a protective wall was damaged by powerful waves, and six bikers reportedly sustained minor injuries. In Visakhapatnam's Mangalampalem area, a 65-year-old man died after coming into contact with a fallen electric wire.