Cyclone Arnab: Andhra Pradesh evacuates 89,000 as state braces for landfall | Today’s news

Authorities evacuated at least 89,000 people from vulnerable coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Arnab strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and was expected to make landfall early Wednesday, the AP reported.

The India Meteorological Department classified Arnab as a “very severe” cyclonic storm, warning of heavy rainfall and strong winds along the east coast. The outer bands of the storm began affecting parts of Andhra Pradesh late on Tuesday, with officials saying the expected landfall had shifted earlier than initially thought.

Landfall between 2am and 4am

Prakhar Jain, a senior official at the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, said the cyclone could make landfall on Wednesday between 2am and 4am local time. He warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several districts and called for increased vigilance during the critical hours before landfall.

Authorities have put all coastal areas in Andhra Pradesh on high alert and started moving people from low-lying and flood-prone areas to safer places. Some train services were also canceled as heavy rain and gusty winds hit parts of the coast, the AP reported.

The cyclone was moving at a speed of around 20 kmph, Jain said. Officials warned that wind speeds could reach 140 km/h when it makes landfall, accompanied by extremely heavy rain and strong gusts in parts of the coastal region on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Preparations of the authorities

The State Disaster Management Authority said more than 12 million people live along the expected path of the cyclone.

Authorities have set up more than 2,000 cyclone shelters in 20 districts and are sending emergency alerts to the cellphones of millions of residents. More than 30,000 fishing boats have been secured along the coast and nearly 1,100 medical teams have been deployed to provide emergency relief, Jain said, according to PTI.

In neighboring Odisha, officials planned to evacuate about 48,000 people from areas likely to be hit by the cyclone.