Cyclone Arnab struck Andhra Pradesh’s coast early on Wednesday, leaving five people dead and causing widespread damage across several coastal districts. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced ₹5 lakh ex gratia for the family of each person killed in the cyclone.
Landfall and damage
The India Meteorological Department said Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts near Narsapur in West Godavari district between 2 am and 8 am. At landfall, it was a very severe cyclonic storm with sustained winds of 125–135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph.
The storm brought heavy rain, uprooted trees, damaged power lines, and flooded low-lying areas. Reports said deaths occurred in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Kakinada, Konaseema, and West Godavari districts. Some victims were reportedly electrocuted, while others died after trees fell on them.
Relief announced
The Andhra Pradesh government announced financial assistance for families affected by Cyclone Arnab. The main relief measures include:
- ₹5 lakh for the family of each deceased person
- ₹50,000 for each cattle loss
- ₹25,000 per hectare for damage to paddy, sugarcane, cotton, and groundnut crops
- ₹15,000 per hectare for tobacco, pulses, maize, soybean, sunflower, millets, and other notified crops
- 25 kg rice for families whose homes were flooded
- 50 kg rice for fishermen and weaver families
Officials have been asked to complete crop-loss assessments quickly so that compensation can reach affected farmers without delay.
Evacuation and preparedness
Before the cyclone made landfall, authorities moved thousands of people to safer locations. Andhra Pradesh shifted more than 84,000 residents to around 290 relief shelters, while Odisha also evacuated over 30,000 people as a precaution.
The state government released ₹27 crore for relief work and deployed 15 NDRF teams in vulnerable areas. Fire services, boat rescue teams, and wood-cutting teams were also kept ready for emergency response.
Agricultural impact
The cyclone has raised serious concerns for farmers. Officials estimate that crops across 7.16 lakh hectares and horticultural crops across 16 lakh hectares could be affected by heavy rain and strong winds.
Districts including Polavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, and Krishna experienced intense rainfall. The government has warned that flood risk and crop damage may increase in some areas as the storm weakens and moves inland.
What happens next
The IMD said Cyclone Arnab has weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after moving inland and is expected to weaken further over the next few hours. Heavy to very heavy rain may continue in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, and authorities are monitoring power restoration, road clearance, and relief distribution.
The confirmed death toll and damage figures may change as officials complete field assessments across the affected districts.
