Over 180,000 people evacuated before Cyclone Arnab hits India on October 28
Cyclone Arnab disrupts flights at three Indian airports, while Nepal suspends high-altitude trekking permits amid snowstorm and avalanche warnings.
- Over 180,000 people were evacuated from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before Cyclone Arnab made landfall on October 28.
- The cyclone caused significant disruption, including uprooted trees, power outages, and the suspension of flights and train services in coastal areas.
- After making landfall, the storm weakened but continued to bring heavy rain and strong winds, with initial forecasts predicting gusts up to 150km/h.
- At least one fatality was reported in Odisha after a tree fell on a house, though another initial report cited no deaths in the affected states.
India evacuated more than 180,000 people across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before Cyclone Arnab crossed the country’s eastern coast on October 28, 2026.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said landfall was complete and Arnab had weakened to a severe cyclonic storm. Heavy rain and strong winds were expected to continue across coastal Andhra Pradesh and parts of southern Odisha as the system moved inland.
Trees uprooted and flights suspended in Andhra Pradesh
Authorities reported uprooted trees and disrupted electricity supplies as Arnab struck India’s east coast. Some schools closed, while train services were cancelled in affected areas.
Kakinada resident Nagi told Reuters the storm had damaged houses and destroyed “all our belongings, including our books”.
India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that operations at Visakhapatnam airport had been suspended from the afternoon of October 27. Flights at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry airports were suspended after 7pm that day, ahead of the cyclone’s arrival.
Reuters’ October 28 report recorded no deaths in Andhra Pradesh or Odisha. The Times of India, however, reported that a woman was killed in Odisha’s Puri district on October 27 after a falling tree brought down a wall of her house.
IMD forecast 150km/h gusts and coastal flooding
The IMD’s forecast for Arnab’s landfall included sustained winds of 125–135km/h, with gusts reaching 150km/h. A coastal bulletin also warned that a storm surge of 1–1.5 metres above normal tides could flood low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh. These figures were forecasts, not confirmed measurements of conditions on the ground.
Indian authorities had urged fishermen to remain ashore as Arnab approached. The IMD also warned of damage to crops, thatched homes and communications.
India has strengthened its cyclone warning and disaster-response systems since the October 1999 super cyclone that killed nearly 10,000 people in Odisha. The World Meteorological Organization has highlighted better forecasting, public communication and preparedness as important factors in reducing deaths from subsequent storms.
Nepal suspends high-risk trekking permits for three days
Nepal’s Department of Immigration suspended new trekking permits for restricted high-altitude and Himalayan areas for October 29–31 amid warnings of heavy snowfall, snowstorms and avalanches. Trekkers already in affected areas were advised to remain in safe locations.
Nepal’s trekking industry was warned that Arnab’s effects could reach the country from the night of October 29, with heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous mountain conditions forecast over the following two days.
About 750 hikers receive permits daily during Nepal’s peak trekking season, Reuters reported.
Earlier Thai forecast ruled out a direct hit from Arnab
The Thai Meteorological Department said in its October 26 assessment that Arnab was expected to move towards India without directly affecting Thailand. As an earlier report explained, heavy rain in southern Thailand was associated with a monsoon trough and low-pressure system, rather than a direct strike by the cyclone.
