Cyclone Arnab Live Updates: Odisha to airlift stranded residents as 300 villages flooded in Ganjam

Cyclone Arnab made landfall between Andhra Pradesh and Yanam from 2 am to 8 am on October 29, 2026. It crossed the coast as a very severe cyclonic storm before weakening to a severe cyclonic storm near Yanam in Puducherry. The event mattered because it combined dangerous winds with intense rainfall across populated coastal and inland districts.

Seven people died in Andhra Pradesh from falling trees, electrocution, wall collapse, and other cyclone-related incidents. Low-lying areas recorded about 200 mm of rain. More than 1,80,000 people had already been evacuated across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Three airports in Andhra Pradesh suspended operations, while flooding stopped train services near Srikakulam.

After landfall, Arnab moved north and weakened further. The IMD expected it to become a cyclonic storm, then a deep depression, and later a well-marked low-pressure area. Even as winds eased, flooding and rescue needs continued, including in Ganjam, where around 300 villages were flooded.

A cyclone is a large rotating weather system with strong winds and heavy rain around a central low-pressure area. In the Northern Hemisphere, its circulation turns counterclockwise. A cyclone makes landfall when the storm’s centre crosses from the ocean onto a coast. This matters because coastal communities then face the storm’s strongest effects, while inland areas may receive dangerous rain and flooding.

In Arnab’s case, the storm crossed the coast between Andhra Pradesh and Yanam during a six-hour period from 2 am to 8 am on October 29. It had been classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, then weakened to a severe cyclonic storm after reaching land. The IMD tracked it with Doppler weather radars at Gopalpur, Raipur, and Sambalpur.

Landfall changed the storm’s path and strength, but it did not instantly remove the threat. Arnab continued moving north over land and produced heavy rain. Flooded villages, blocked rail lines, suspended airport operations, and rescue efforts showed that impacts continued after the centre crossed the coast.

Cyclone Arnab affected several states and caused both human and infrastructure losses. Seven people were killed in Andhra Pradesh through falling trees, electrocution, wall collapse, and other cyclone-related incidents. More than 1,80,000 people were evacuated in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before the cyclone arrived. These figures show the scale of preparation as well as the danger.

Rainfall and flooding were especially severe in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Low-lying areas recorded 200 mm of rain. In Ganjam district, around 300 villages were flooded, leaving people trapped and prompting plans for helicopter evacuations. Flooded tracks near Srikakulam stopped rail services, and stranded passengers needed road transport or shelter at stations.

The wider impact extended beyond the landfall area. Three airports in Andhra Pradesh suspended operations. West Bengal faced an IMD forecast of heavy rain through October 31. Schools closed in several Chhattisgarh districts. Odisha reported a zero-casualty objective, while officials continued rescue, relief, and restoration work.

Cyclones usually weaken after landfall because they lose access to the warm ocean surface that supplies energy and moisture. Friction from land also disrupts their circulation. Arnab therefore weakened from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm after landfall near Yanam. The IMD then forecast further weakening into a cyclonic storm and a deep depression.

The change reduced the storm’s wind intensity, but it did not erase its effects. Arnab continued moving north over land while producing heavy rainfall. Low-lying areas recorded 200 mm, and around 300 villages in Odisha’s Ganjam district were flooded. People became trapped, and the Coast Guard prepared helicopters to rescue an initial 120 people from hard-hit areas.

The danger shifted from the peak cyclone threat toward flooding and disruption. Rail services stopped near Srikakulam, airports suspended operations in Andhra Pradesh, and rescue teams faced heavy rain and low clouds. The system was expected to weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area, but relief and restoration still required central and state support.

A cyclone can weaken in wind strength while still releasing large amounts of rain. Arnab moved north after landfall and continued affecting coastal Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and nearby areas. Heavy rain overwhelmed low-lying places, where water accumulated and spread through villages. The article reports about 200 mm in low-lying areas and flooding in around 300 Ganjam villages.

Flooding also trapped people because normal routes and services were disrupted. Train tracks near Srikakulam were flooded, stopping rail services and stranding passengers. Officials had to move people by road or provide shelter at local stations. In Ganjam, heavy rain and low clouds threatened to delay helicopter operations, so extra rescue teams supported ground efforts.

This explains why weakening did not mean immediate safety. Wind damage may decline as the system becomes a depression, but standing water, flooded transport links, and isolated communities can worsen or persist. The Coast Guard planned to airlift an initial 120 people, while fire services rescued 15 from a temple in Bhanjanagar.

Responsibility was divided across agencies because a cyclone creates different risks at different stages. The IMD provided warnings, forecasts, and continuous tracking. It monitored Arnab with Doppler weather radars at Gopalpur, Raipur, and Sambalpur. State governments then used that information to evacuate residents, close schools, suspend transport, and prepare rescue and relief operations.

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha evacuated more than 1,80,000 people before landfall. Odisha officials reported a zero-casualty objective. In Ganjam, the state worked with the Home Ministry and Coast Guard to plan helicopter rescues. Odisha fire services rescued 15 people stranded at Budhi Thakurani Temple. Local officials arranged road travel or station shelter for passengers stranded by flooded railway tracks.

Political and administrative leaders coordinated broader support. Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg described the airlift plan, while Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sought and received assurances of central help. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu requested a central damage-assessment team. Together, these roles connected forecasting, evacuation, rescue, relief, and restoration.

Early evacuation reduces deaths because people leave exposed homes before the storm makes movement dangerous. Temporary shelters give evacuees a safer place while officials manage food, protection, and medical needs. This is especially important when falling trees, electrocution, wall collapse, and flooding threaten ordinary buildings and roads.

Arnab showed why several transport options are needed. More than 1,80,000 people were evacuated in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha before landfall. Flooded tracks near Srikakulam stopped trains, so officials moved stranded passengers by road or sheltered them at stations. In Ganjam, around 300 villages flooded, and the Coast Guard planned helicopters to rescue an initial 120 people. Fire services rescued 15 people from a temple in Bhanjanagar.

Using alternatives keeps isolated communities connected after infrastructure fails. Road transport can help where tracks are underwater, while airlifts can reach places ground teams cannot quickly access. However, heavy rain and low clouds may delay helicopters, so early movement, shelters, ground teams, and continued official coordination remain essential.