HYDERABAD, India: Indian authorities have evacuated tens of thousands of people from vulnerable coastal areas as Cyclone Arnab strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and approached India’s eastern coast.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday the storm had intensified into a “very severe” cyclonic storm and was expected to make landfall along the coast of Andhra Pradesh by Wednesday morning.
Authorities have ordered evacuations, closed schools in affected areas and suspended some rail services ahead of the storm.
Very Severe Cyclone Arnab Update #CyclonicStormArnab #CycloneArnab #CycloneUpdate #WeatherUpdate #IMD #WeatherAlert #CycloneAlert #HeavyRainfall #ExtremelyHeavyRainfall #RainfallWarning #BayOfBengal #AndhraPradesh #Odisha #Chhattisgarh @moesgoi @airnewsalerts @DDNational @ndmaindia @ICRER_MHA
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 27, 2026
Nearly 50,000 people had been evacuated from vulnerable areas by Monday night, out of an estimated 400,000 who may need to be evacuated, Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, told Reuters. “Evacuation is continuing,” Jain said.
Warnings of Widespread Damage
The IMD warned that the cyclone could destroy thatched houses, uproot power and communication poles, damage standing crops and cause localised flooding.
The very severe cyclonic storm “Arnab” [Pronunciation :Ornab] overWestcentral Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwardswith a speed of 18 kmph during past 6 hours, and lay centered at 1730 hrs ISTof today, the 27th October, 2026 over Westcentral Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh coast, near latitude16.3°N and longitude 82.7°E, about 90 km southeast of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh),170 km south-southwest of Vishakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 170 km east-northeastof Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 240 km east-northeast of Bapatla (AndhraPradesh), and 410 km southwest ofGopalpur (Odisha). It is very likely to continue to move nearly west-northwestwards during nextfew hours, then northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh & Yanam coastsbetween Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to south of Yanam as a very severecyclonic storm with the maximum sustained wind speed of 125-135 kmph gusting to150 kmph during early hours of 28th October, 2026. Very severe cyclonic storm “Arnab” is interacting with the land surfaceand the outer spiral band has entered into the land. Due to faster movement,the landfall of cyclone is expected early. It is likely to make landfall duringearly hours (2-4 AM) of 28th October.
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 27, 2026
Local media reported that authorities had ordered evacuations in key low-lying areas and closed educational institutions in some districts from Tuesday until Saturday.
In neighbouring Odisha, there had been no evacuations as of Tuesday, Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, the state’s special relief commissioner, told Reuters. The state had already ordered schools and colleges to close in five districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Television footage showed waves crashing on deserted beaches and shops shuttered along the affected coast.
At least 12 trains were cancelled in eastern India, while services on 53 routes along the southern coast were suspended for Tuesday and Wednesday, regional railway authorities said in social media posts.
The Bay of Bengal is a major tropical cyclone hotspot, leaving India’s eastern coastline particularly exposed to storms and related coastal hazards.
Nepal and Sri Lanka Brace for Heavy Rain
The cyclone’s effects were also expected to reach neighbouring Nepal, where authorities warned tourists against travelling to high-altitude areas.
The country’s disaster management authorities cautioned that the storm could bring heavy rain, snowfall and strong winds to parts of the Himalayas from Thursday night through Saturday, raising the risk of avalanches and other weather-related hazards.
The warnings come as Nepal continues to recover from a deadly flash flood in August that killed about 1,500 people.
Sri Lanka also closed schools amid warnings of torrential rain. The country’s Department of Meteorology warned that storms could trigger flash floods and mudslides, while the Disaster Management Centre said the military had been placed on alert.
Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal and the northern Indian Ocean are a recurring threat to countries around the region.
