Two cyclones in less than 7 days: Is India's east coast ready for another storm?

Cyclone Arnab made landfall on the intervening night of August 27-28 after authorities had evacuated more than 1,80,000 people across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Isro satellites tracked the storm, the IMD issued warnings, and national and state response teams stood ready. These actions showed stronger preparation than in the past.

The second system created a different test because the same region had less than a week to recover. Authorities needed to check shelters, restore power and health services, review damaged roads and communications, and remain ready to move people again. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu contain many low-lying coastal districts exposed to wind, surge and flooding.

Forecasting and evacuation are no longer the only measures of readiness. Warnings must reach every vulnerable household, local shelter information must be complete, and essential services must recover quickly. The rapid succession exposed the importance of preparedness between storms, not only before the first landfall.

A cyclone is a large, rotating weather system built around an area of low air pressure. Over warm ocean water, it can strengthen and produce powerful winds, heavy rain and dangerous coastal conditions. The term is commonly used for tropical storms in the Indian Ocean and nearby regions. Its effects can extend far beyond the centre.

A cyclone makes landfall when its centre crosses the coastline from sea to land. This is a key moment because winds, rainfall and flooding can intensify impacts on homes, roads, farms and critical services. Coastal communities may also face storm surges, which can push seawater inland. Authorities therefore track a storm before its centre reaches shore.

In the article, Cyclone Arnab made landfall on the intervening night of August 27-28. Satellite tracking, weather radars and IMD warnings helped officials prepare, while evacuations and shelters reduced exposure before the storm arrived. The next threat showed why preparation must continue after landfall.

The emergency response to Cyclone Arnab was large and involved several kinds of protection. More than 1,80,000 people were evacuated across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Authorities also opened over 2,000 shelters across 20 districts, secured more than 30,000 fishing boats and deployed nearly 1,100 medical teams. These measures addressed people, livelihoods and healthcare together.

The key mechanism was advance mobilisation. Andhra Pradesh used its Cyclone Information Management System to identify likely districts and mandals, vulnerable populations, shelters, hospitals and critical infrastructure. Officials could then move residents from low-lying or flood-prone areas and position resources before landfall. Disaster-response units and control rooms supported the effort.

The scale demonstrates strong capacity to act before a storm arrives, but it does not prove every location was equally ready. Some local administrative units had not submitted complete shelter and readiness information. That gap could make it harder to assess needs and coordinate another evacuation when storms arrive close together.

Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu are particularly vulnerable because millions of people live in low-lying coastal districts. These areas are directly exposed to strong cyclone winds, storm surges and flooding. A long coastline also means many communities, roads, power facilities, hospitals and other assets may lie within a storm’s path.

The article shows how this exposure shapes preparation. Andhra Pradesh maps vulnerable populations, shelters, hospitals, schools, power transformers and health facilities through its Cyclone Information Management System. During Arnab, authorities evacuated people from low-lying and flood-prone areas. Odisha’s warning system reaches coastal villages through alert towers, satellite communication and digital radio links.

The risk is not limited to the first impact. Flooding and damaged infrastructure can interrupt power, healthcare, transport and communications. A second storm arriving within days could hit communities before services are restored. That makes complete local information, functioning shelters, reliable warnings and rapid recovery essential across all three states.

Cyclone detection and evacuation depend on a connected chain of technologies and institutions. The India Meteorological Department uses Doppler Weather Radars to track a system’s location, movement and intensity. Satellites, automatic weather stations, rain gauges and ocean-monitoring systems add information about rainfall, winds and storm development. Isro satellites tracked Arnab.

The IMD issues forecasts and early warnings, while national and state disaster-response units prepare to act. Andhra Pradesh’s Cyclone Information Management System combines storm tracks with data on vulnerable people, shelters, hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure. Officials can identify threatened districts and organise evacuation and relief resources before landfall.

Odisha adds a community-level warning network. Its Early Warning Dissemination System uses 122 alert towers, satellite communication and digital radio links to reach 1,205 villages across 22 blocks. Radar coverage still has gaps, however, and the IMD has proposed more radars. Technology works best when warnings reach households and local teams act quickly.

If warnings do not reach every vulnerable household, people may remain in dangerous low-lying areas when strong winds, storm surges or flooding arrive. They may miss evacuation instructions or fail to reach a functioning shelter in time. The risk is greater where communication networks are disrupted or where local information about shelters is incomplete.

The article also highlights the danger of slow recovery. Cyclones can affect power, healthcare, transport and communications, while essential facilities may need repairs or resupply. Andhra Pradesh maps transformers and health facilities, but some local units had not submitted complete readiness information. That makes it harder to know which services can support affected communities.

A second storm within days can expose these weaknesses before repairs are finished. Preparedness must therefore include recovery between storms, not just accurate forecasts and first evacuations. Reliable last-mile warnings, functional shelters, complete local data and rapid restoration can reduce the effects of repeated strikes.

A storm surge is a temporary rise in sea level caused mainly by a cyclone’s powerful winds pushing seawater toward the coast, with low air pressure adding to the rise. It is different from rainfall flooding because the water comes from the sea. The surge can spread across low-lying coastal land and enter homes, roads and fields.

Surge becomes especially dangerous when a storm reaches land near shallow coastal waters or when the coastline channels water inland. Waves riding on top of the raised sea can worsen damage. Even with limited rain, seawater can flood communities, disrupt transport and damage power and health facilities. The article identifies storm surges as a major threat alongside wind and flooding.

This is why coastal evacuation cannot focus only on rainfall forecasts. Authorities must identify low-lying areas, move residents to shelters and protect critical assets before landfall. Odisha’s warning network and Andhra Pradesh’s mapping system support that work, but warnings must still reach every exposed household.