Cyclone Arnab Approaches India's East Coast as Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Order Evacuations

Formed over the Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Arnab has strengthened into a cyclonic storm with gusts reaching 140 kph, according to India's weather office. The system is forecast to strike Andhra Pradesh state by Wednesday morning and is likely to intensify further, delivering heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across the state's northern and central coastal areas and southern parts of neighbouring Odisha. Andhra Pradesh officials have marked roughly 570,000 people as vulnerable and started evacuations on Monday evening, also ordering boats to return to shore and preparing rapid power restoration.

Odisha's authorities have announced the closure of schools and colleges in five districts for Tuesday and Wednesday and are ready to relocate residents of flood-prone zones to cyclone shelters. The Bay of Bengal remains one of the world’s most active tropical cyclone regions.