Cyclone Arnab: Home Minister Shah speaks with CMs of affected States, assures all support

After Cyclone Arnab affected eastern India, the Union government moved into a coordinated response. Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He assured them that the Centre would provide every assistance to reduce people’s hardship. This matters because cyclones can affect several administrations at once, requiring state and central agencies to work together.

The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force started rescue and relief operations on a war footing. Their work is intended to support people facing the immediate effects of the storm. The government also planned to send inter-ministerial central teams, or IMCTs, to inspect the impact and identify additional needs.

The India Meteorological Department reported that Arnab had weakened from a severe cyclonic storm to a cyclonic storm. It was expected to weaken further into a deep depression by midnight on October 28, 2026. Even as the system weakened, government teams continued response operations and prepared to guide further assistance.

The three terms mark stages of increasing or decreasing storm intensity. A deep depression has stronger winds than an ordinary depression but weaker winds than a cyclonic storm. A cyclonic storm is a more organised system with sustained winds of about 62–88 kilometres per hour. A severe cyclonic storm has sustained winds of about 89–117 kilometres per hour.

The key mechanism is sustained wind speed, rather than a single gust or the amount of rain. Under India Meteorological Department classifications, a deep depression generally has winds of 50–61 kilometres per hour. When a system’s winds cross the relevant thresholds, its official category changes. This helps authorities communicate risk and plan warnings, evacuations and emergency action.

Arnab illustrates a weakening sequence. The IMD first described it as a severe cyclonic storm over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and the adjoining Bay of Bengal. It then weakened into a cyclonic storm and was forecast to become a deep depression by midnight on October 28, 2026.

The article names four Chief Ministers who spoke with Home Minister Amit Shah after Cyclone Arnab. They represented Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The question asks for States or Union Territories, so Puducherry counts as one Union Territory, while the other three are States.

Therefore, the total is four administrative units: three States and one Union Territory. No two of the listed places are duplicates, and each was represented by its own Chief Minister. This regional spread shows that the cyclone’s response involved more than one local government and required coordination across jurisdictions.

The four administrations were included in the Centre’s response because they faced hardship in the storm’s aftermath. Shah assured them of every assistance. NDRF and SDRF teams continued rescue and relief work, while inter-ministerial central teams were to assess the impact and determine what further assistance might be required.

Weakening does not mean harmless. A cyclone can lose wind strength while still producing dangerous rain, flooding, storm surge, landslides and rough seas. These effects can threaten lives, damage homes and disrupt transport, farming, electricity, water supplies and communications. People may face displacement, injuries, shortages and loss of livelihoods even after the storm’s official category falls.

For example, intense rain can overwhelm drains and rivers, flooding roads and houses. Strong winds can tear roofs, uproot trees and bring down power lines. Emergency teams then have to rescue stranded residents, clear debris, restore access and provide relief. These impacts explain why the article reports NDRF and SDRF teams operating on a war footing.

The article does not give a detailed damage assessment from Arnab. It does report hardship across four administrations and says IMCTs would assess the impact. Their findings could help the government identify damaged infrastructure, unmet needs and the further assistance required as recovery continues.

The National Disaster Response Force, or NDRF, is a central response force used for major disasters. The State Disaster Response Force, or SDRF, is organised by a State or Union Territory for response within its jurisdiction. Both can rescue people, provide immediate relief, search affected areas and support emergency operations.

Their main difference is command and reach. NDRF brings nationally available specialist capacity and can be deployed across states. SDRF teams are closer to local communities and operate through the relevant state or Union Territory administration. In practice, they can work together, combining local knowledge with additional national resources. The article says both forces were active after Arnab.

Following the cyclone, Shah said NDRF and SDRF teams had sprung into action and were continuing rescue and relief operations on a war footing. Their immediate work addresses urgent needs. IMCTs were separately planned to assess the impact and help determine longer-term central assistance.

Inter-ministerial central teams, or IMCTs, are teams drawn from different Union government ministries and departments. After a disaster, they visit affected areas to assess damage and understand people’s needs. Their role matters because a cyclone can affect housing, roads, farms, power, water and other sectors that fall under different government responsibilities.

For example, an IMCT may examine the impact on infrastructure and livelihoods, compare local reports with conditions on the ground, and record the assistance required. This creates an evidence-based picture for central decision-makers. The assessment mechanism links field conditions to government support, helping officials identify priorities rather than relying only on early reports.

In the article, Shah said IMCTs would soon be sent after Cyclone Arnab. They were expected to assess the impact and the further assistance required in Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Their findings would guide the Union government’s continuing response, although the article does not specify the amount or form of aid.

A tropical cyclone begins around a low-pressure area over very warm ocean water. Heat causes water to evaporate, filling the air with moisture. As moist air rises and condenses, it releases heat, which powers more rising air and lowers pressure further. Air then spirals inward, and Earth’s rotation helps organise the system. With enough warm water and favourable winds, the circulation can intensify.

Once the storm moves over land, it is cut off from its main supply of warm, moist ocean air. Land also creates friction and disrupts the storm’s organised circulation. Mountains and dry air can weaken it further. Rain and strong winds may continue during this process, so a lower category does not remove all danger.

Arnab showed this weakening pattern in the article. The IMD said it had weakened from a severe cyclonic storm to a cyclonic storm and was very likely to weaken into a deep depression by midnight on October 28, 2026. The article does not specify the exact cause of each stage.