TWO LIVES LOST, FLIGHTS GROUNDED AND RAILWAYS DISRUPTED: CYCLONE ARNAB LEAVES A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION ACROSS ANDHRA PRADESH

October 28, 2026

VIJAYAWADA, OCTOBER 28, 2026 — Cyclone Arnab struck the Andhra Pradesh coast early Wednesday, killing two people in separate electrocution incidents, uprooting hundreds of trees and electricity poles, damaging roads and disrupting air and rail transport across parts of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha. Although the storm weakened after landfall, heavy rainfall, damaged power infrastructure and continuing restoration operations left several coastal districts facing a difficult recovery.

The India Meteorological Department said the very severe cyclonic storm crossed the Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast between approximately 2 am and 8 am before weakening into a severe cyclonic storm. The landfall occurred southwest of Yanam, near Narsapur in West Godavari district. The storm had brought sustained winds of approximately 125–135 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching 150 kilometres per hour.

The cyclone's immediate human toll included two deaths caused by electrocution. A 53-year-old man in Visakhapatnam district died on Tuesday night after coming into contact with a live electrical wire that had snapped across an agricultural field channel. In a separate incident on Wednesday morning, a 55-year-old woman in Yellamanchili town, Anakapalli district, died after stepping on an exposed live wire outside her home.

The deaths underscore the dangers that persist even after a cyclone begins to weaken. Fallen electrical cables, damaged poles and waterlogged surroundings can turn ordinary journeys and routine activities into potentially fatal encounters. Residents have consequently been urged to avoid downed wires and damaged electrical infrastructure while emergency and utility personnel carry out repairs.

The physical damage varied across the affected districts. Kakinada district reported hundreds of uprooted trees and fewer than 100 damaged electricity poles, according to the district police. The Uppada coastal road was reported to have been completely washed away, while fallen trees and other obstructions disrupted movement on several roads.

In Visakhapatnam district, officials reported approximately 400 fallen trees, prompting municipal and Roads and Buildings Department teams to begin clearance operations. Most roads had been reopened by Wednesday morning, although work continued in affected locations. In Alluri Sitaramaraju district, an old bridge at Tadiguda village in Anantagiri mandal was washed away, temporarily isolating a hamlet. Authorities said alternative arrangements were being made and restoration work was under way.

Konaseema district also experienced strong gusts, reportedly reaching 130 kilometres per hour, which uprooted trees and electricity poles. Despite the damage, district officials reported no casualties or property losses in their preliminary assessment. More than 10,000 people had been evacuated from low-lying areas, and approximately 495 cyclone shelters and temporary relief centres had been established in the district.

The rainfall was particularly intense in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh. The meteorological department reported precipitation exceeding 200 millimetres at several locations in Anakapalli, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts between the morning of October 27 and early October 28. Kannuripalem in Anakapalli recorded 261.5 millimetres, while a school in Vizianagaram district recorded 259.74 millimetres and an area near the 16th Police Battalion in Visakhapatnam recorded 259.06 millimetres.

Authorities warned that rainfall could continue on Wednesday and Thursday. Even as wind speeds decline, prolonged rain can cause localised flooding, damage agricultural fields and increase pressure on tanks, canals and other water infrastructure. Officials were instructed to monitor these risks and take preventive action where necessary.

Transport networks were among the major casualties of the storm. The cyclone disrupted flight operations at airports serving coastal Andhra Pradesh, while railway services were cancelled or rescheduled to protect passengers and railway infrastructure. South Coast Railway cancelled 57 trains and rescheduled 15 others as a precaution, affecting services including Vande Bharat, Ratnachal, UDAY, Garib Rath, Godavari and Falaknuma Express trains.

Air travel was also severely affected. Operations at Visakhapatnam airport had been suspended from the afternoon of October 27, while flights at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry were suspended later that evening. Several airlines cancelled services involving Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry, with further disruptions affecting connections to cities including Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Varanasi. Some international and connecting services were also affected.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation coordinated with airport operators, airlines, aviation regulators, meteorological authorities and disaster-management agencies to monitor the situation. Passengers were advised to check their flight status directly with airlines before travelling to airports, as cancellation and rebooking information remained subject to change.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation on Wednesday morning during a teleconference involving approximately 32,000 officials and personnel, including district collectors. He directed the administration to restore normal conditions as quickly as possible, clear roads blocked by fallen trees, repair electricity infrastructure once wind conditions permitted and ensure that relief shelters had sufficient food, drinking water and medical facilities.

Officials were also instructed to prepare preliminary assessments of crop damage, protect horticultural produce and prevent breaches in tanks and canals. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force remained on standby to assist with emergency operations.

The extent of the disruption reflects the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure to powerful cyclones. Electricity networks, road connections, bridges and transport services can sustain damage across a wide geographical area, even when the storm's centre passes through a relatively narrow stretch of coastline. The effects may continue after landfall as residents wait for power restoration, roads are cleared and essential services resume.

Advance preparations and evacuations helped move residents away from vulnerable areas before the storm arrived. Yet the two electrocution deaths demonstrate that preparedness must extend beyond evacuation itself. Securing electrical installations, isolating damaged power lines, communicating local hazards and preventing people from approaching fallen cables remain critical elements of disaster response.

As Cyclone Arnab weakens and moves inland, the immediate priorities are to restore electricity and transport, maintain relief facilities, assess damage to homes and crops, and protect residents from secondary hazards. The storm's final economic impact will depend on the extent of infrastructure damage and the speed at which disrupted services and livelihoods can recover.

For Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha, the passage of Arnab marks the beginning of a demanding recovery operation rather than the end of the emergency. The two reported deaths have already demonstrated the human cost of the disaster, while the damage to roads, power networks and transport links illustrates how a single severe weather event can disrupt daily life across entire districts.