Cyclone Arnab: Heavy rain brings Vizag to a standstill; civic agencies on high alert

Women brave heavy rain and wind in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday as Cyclone Arnab nears the Andhra Pradesh coast. | Photo credit: KR Deepak

The city, which rarely slows down, came to a near standstill on Tuesday as Cyclone Arnab lashed Visakhapatnam with heavy rain and gusty winds, leaving civic agencies racing to keep roads open and on. Schools and anganwadi centers remained closed, 102 bus routes were canceled and beaches were closed while residents were advised to stay indoors.

Fallen trees and power outages contributed to the disruption. According to the command control room, 206 trees fell within the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation limits and 55 were felled by 6 pm. Of the 103 calls received, 42 were for downed trees and 51 for power; 17 of them participated.

A tree falls on a parked car near a post office in MVP Colony as heavy rain lashes Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. | Photo credit: KR Deepak

Rainfall in the district averaged 147.9 mm between 8.30 am and 9 pm, the highest being 206.8 mm in Gopalapatnam, followed by Visakhapatnam (rural) with 160.8 mm and Pendurthi with 155.2 mm.

District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore said gusty winds of 40 km/h to 50 km/h were recorded since morning and speeds of up to 100 km/h were likely by 9:00 pm.

By 6 p.m., 85 people had taken shelter in relief centers opened across the district and 72 food packages had been distributed, the administration said. Mr Kishore said people in vulnerable coastal and hill dwellings were relocated as needed.

Deployed by NDRF

A National Disaster Response Force team was deployed, along with 63 earthmoving machines, 30 tree felling teams, 50 generators and 75 lifeboats. The Navy and Coast Guard coordinated support.

Vehicles waded through waterlogged water in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. | Photo credit: KR Deepak

Mr. Kishore toured Mangamaripeta beach and inspected the relief center at the Upper GVMC Primary School there and directed the officials to provide drinking water, food, toilets and electricity, giving priority to the elderly, women, children and pregnant women.

At night, he inspected the command control room set up at the Collectorate with Joint Collector G. Vidyadhari and asked for hourly reports. Later, in a teleconference with officials, he directed them to identify residents of vulnerable areas and shift them to safe relief centers without delay.

District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore inspects the Mangamaripeta beach in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

He asked that people in coastal villages and hill dwellings be alerted and where necessary through public address systems, that movement along Beach Road be completely restricted and that fallen trees be removed immediately to keep the roads clear. Officials of all departments have been asked to remain in the field and coordinate with the Collectorate headquarters, GVMC, police and the power company.

The cyclone is expected to cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Wednesday and heavy rain is likely to continue through the day. Educational institutions will remain closed on Wednesday and fishermen are prohibited from entering the sea until October 29.

Helpline

Residents can contact the Collectorate at 0891-2590100 and 0891-2590102 and the GVMC at 9914218870 and 1800-4250-0009.

Published – 28 Oct 2026 0:16 IST