100,000 evacuated in India as Cyclone Arnab makes landfall on southeast coast

A cyclone is a large, rotating tropical storm that forms around a region of low air pressure. It can produce powerful winds, torrential rain, high waves, and flooding. The same type of storm is called a hurricane in the North Atlantic and a typhoon in the Pacific. Cyclones matter because they can affect millions of people, not just the shoreline.

Landfall happens when the storm’s center reaches the coast and moves over land. Arnab made landfall in Andhra Pradesh as a “very severe cyclonic storm.” Its winds were 125 to 135km/h, with gusts up to 150km/h. A storm surge was also expected to flood low-lying areas.

After landfall, a cyclone can damage homes, crops, trees, power lines, roads, and communications. Heavy rain may continue inland, too. Arnab affected warnings and preparations in India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, showing how one coastal storm can create risks across a wide region.

Cyclone Arnab was large enough to trigger evacuations across two Indian states and warnings in neighbouring countries. Nearly 100,000 people were ordered to leave their homes or move into shelters. More than 12 million people lived along the storm’s expected path, showing the scale of potential exposure.

The India Meteorological Department classified Arnab as a “very severe cyclonic storm.” Its sustained winds reached 125 to 135km/h, or 78 to 84mph. Gusts reached 150km/h. The storm surge was forecast to rise 1.5 to 2.5 metres above the normal tide and inundate low-lying parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Authorities opened more than 2,000 shelters across 20 districts. They also secured over 30,000 fishing boats and deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams. These figures show that Arnab was not simply a rainstorm. It was a major coastal emergency requiring mass movement, rescue planning, and rapid medical support.

A storm surge is an abnormal rise of seawater pushed toward land by a storm’s winds and low pressure. It is different from the regular rise and fall of tides. When surge arrives during a high tide, water can reach farther inland and flood places that normally remain dry. Low-lying coastal communities face the greatest danger.

The IMD warned that Arnab could produce a surge 1.5 to 2.5 metres above normal tide in Andhra Pradesh. That water could inundate homes, roads, fields, and public facilities. Residents near Kakinada described earlier flooding, saying they sometimes had to stay in water. Authorities therefore moved people to government-run shelters before the surge arrived.

Floodwater can uproot trees, damage power and communications systems, contaminate supplies, and stop transport. The article reported uprooted trees and disrupted electricity after Arnab struck. The full impact would depend on the surge’s timing, exact path, rainfall, tides, and local land height.

Pre-positioning is a life-saving strategy during a cyclone. Evacuations are easier before roads become flooded, trees fall, electricity fails, or winds make travel dangerous. Shelters give people stronger buildings and organized support. Early action also reduces the chance that emergency workers must rescue residents during the storm’s most dangerous hours.

In Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, authorities told about 50,000 and 48,000 people respectively to move to safe areas. More than 2,000 cyclone shelters were opened across 20 districts. Over 30,000 fishing boats were secured along the coast, protecting people and equipment from enormous waves and winds. Nearly 1,100 medical teams were deployed across affected areas.

These measures prepared for several linked hazards, including flooding, injuries, damaged power lines, and blocked roads. Emergency alerts were sent to millions of mobile phones. The approach also protected responders by placing resources near affected communities instead of waiting until the storm had already caused widespread disruption.

The article identifies the Bay of Bengal and northern Indian Ocean as places where cyclones are a regular menace. India’s southeastern coast is especially exposed because storms can move directly from the bay toward populated coastal districts. Low-lying land is vulnerable to both wind-driven seawater and heavy rain, while many people live and work near the shore.

Arnab threatened Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, where nearly 100,000 people were evacuated. The IMD warned of a 1.5 to 2.5-metre storm surge, flooding, damaged crops, uprooted poles, and destruction of thatched houses. More than 12 million people lived along the expected path, making even a localized landfall a major public emergency.

The region’s history adds to the concern. A super cyclone killed nearly 10,000 people in Odisha in October 1999. That memory helps explain the early warnings, shelters, boat protection, and medical deployments used for Arnab. Preparedness can reduce deaths, but the coast remains highly exposed to severe storms.

A cyclone is a moving system, not a hazard confined to the shoreline. As it travels inland, it can carry huge amounts of moisture and release intense rain far from where it first makes landfall. Mountains force moist air upward, which can increase precipitation. On steep slopes, that water can trigger floods and mudslides.

Nepal’s disaster authority warned that Arnab would move inland toward the Himalayas. It forecast heavy rainfall, a high risk of heavy snowfall, snowstorms, and avalanches. Tourists were told to avoid high mountain areas, while people already there were advised to remain in safe locations. The same storm therefore created different dangers in coastal India and mountainous Nepal.

The risk was especially serious because Nepal was still recovering from an August 26 flood caused by a glacial mountain collapse. That disaster killed more than 1,400 people and left over 5,000 missing. Additional rain or snowfall could worsen unstable conditions and complicate recovery.

Tropical cyclones draw energy from warm ocean water. Heat causes seawater to evaporate, adding moist air to the atmosphere. When that moisture rises and condenses into clouds, it releases heat, which can strengthen the storm’s circulation. Low wind disruption and suitable atmospheric conditions also help a storm organize, though the article does not detail those factors.

The article says the storm season was “turbocharged” by El Niño and unprecedented warming. In general, El Niño changes ocean temperatures and atmospheric circulation across the Pacific and beyond. Those shifts can make some regions more favorable for stronger or more frequent storms, while effects vary by basin and season. Warm water does not guarantee a cyclone, but it supplies important fuel.

Arnab showed the consequences of a highly energized storm. It produced winds up to 150km/h, a possible 2.5-metre surge, torrential rain, and widespread warnings. The IMD also forecast damage to houses, crops, power lines, and communications. Continued warming can raise the stakes for future coastal preparedness.