Cyclone Arnab kills 3 in Andhra Pradesh; over 87,000 evacuated, flights and trains cancelled

Mangalore Today News Network

Andhra Pradesh, Oct 28, 2026: Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast early on Wednesday, leaving three people dead in separate incidents and causing widespread damage to houses, roads, trees and electricity infrastructure.

The cyclone disrupted power supply and transport services, while authorities in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal remained on alert for heavy rainfall.

The very severe cyclonic storm crossed the coast between 2 am and 8 am before weakening into a severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Wind speeds during landfall reached 125–135 kmph, with gusts of up to 150 kmph.

Three killed in Andhra Pradesh

A 46-year-old man, Chokka Kishore Kumar, died around 12.30 am on Wednesday after a tree fell on him in Bhimavaram in West Godavari district. He was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on arrival, an official said.

Two others died in separate electrocution incidents. A 53-year-old man died in Visakhapatnam district on Tuesday night after coming into contact with a live wire that had snapped over an agricultural field channel. In Yellamanchili town in Anakapalli district, a 55-year-old woman died on Wednesday morning after stepping on an exposed live wire outside her home.

A newspaper delivery worker, Rambabu, was critically injured when an electric pole fell on his moped near a temple in Bhimavaram. He suffered a serious head injury and is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit.
Heavy rain, widespread damage

Several coastal districts received heavy rainfall, with multiple locations recording more than 200 mm.

Kannuripalem in Anakapalli district recorded 261.5 mm, followed by KVBR School in Vizianagaram district with 259.74 mm and the 16th Police Battalion area in Visakhapatnam with 259.06 mm.

Strong winds uprooted trees and electricity poles, blocking roads and disrupting power supply. In Kakinada district, hundreds of trees and fewer than 100 electricity poles were uprooted. The coastal Uppada road was completely washed away.

An old bridge in Tadiguda village in Alluri Sitarama Raju district was also washed away, isolating a hamlet. Officials said alternative arrangements were being made while restoration work continued.

Around 400 trees fell across Visakhapatnam district, where teams were engaged in clearing roads and restoring electricity.

Naidu directs officials to restore normalcy

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation on Wednesday morning and directed officials to restore normalcy at the earliest.

During a teleconference involving around 32,000 personnel, including district collectors, he instructed officials to clear roads blocked by fallen trees within two hours and immediately remove obstructions on national highways.

He also directed officials to ensure adequate food, drinking water and medical facilities at cyclone shelters, protect agricultural and horticultural crops, and prevent breaches in tanks and canals. Preliminary assessments of crop damage were also ordered, with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force personnel kept on standby.

According to the NDRF, around 57,000 people were shifted to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh, while 38 people were evacuated from Yanam. More than 10,000 people were also evacuated from low-lying areas in Konaseema district.

Odisha evacuates over 30,000 people

Odisha evacuated more than 30,000 people as southern districts remained on high alert. Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Nabarangpur were among the districts identified as vulnerable to heavy rainfall and possible landslides.

The state kept 2,037 cyclone shelters ready and deployed 313 response teams, including personnel from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, NDRF, and Fire and Emergency Services.

All 19,143 fishing boats had returned to shore, while preventive measures were taken in landslide-prone areas.

The IMD forecast that the system would move northwest across southern Odisha towards Chhattisgarh, gradually weakening. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was expected in several districts.

Schools closed in Jharkhand; Bengal braces for rain

Schools in Ranchi, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega districts of Jharkhand will remain closed on October 28 and 29 due to rainfall associated with the cyclone.

The IMD issued alerts for several districts, warning of heavy rainfall through Thursday and into Friday in some areas.

In West Bengal, heavy rainfall was forecast in coastal and western districts until Friday morning and in the sub-Himalayan region until Saturday.

South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur reported gusty winds and rain, while Kolkata recorded 19.1 mm of rainfall between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Flights cancelled, 57 trains withdrawn

The cyclone disrupted air and rail services across the region. Flight operations at Visakhapatnam airport had been suspended since October 27, while services at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry were halted after 7 pm that day.

Air India cancelled flights on the Delhi–Visakhapatnam and Delhi–Vijayawada routes. Air India Express, IndiGo and Akasa Air also reported cancellations.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation advised passengers to check their flight status with airlines before leaving for airports.

South Coast Railway cancelled 57 trains and rescheduled 15 others as a precautionary measure. The affected services included Vande Bharat, Ratnachal, UDAY, Garib Rath, Godavari and Falaknuma Express trains.

Authorities across the affected states remained on alert as the IMD forecast further rainfall in the coming days.