By: Mardiyyah Abubakar
Cyclone Arnab has killed at least three people and damaged 31 homes after making landfall in southeastern India, bringing powerful winds and torrential rain, officials say.
The cyclone struck Andhra Pradesh state early Wednesday as a very severe cyclonic storm, with winds reaching 135 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 150 kilometres per hour, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The storm dumped up to 30 centimetres of rain in parts of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha before weakening into a deep depression on Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities ordered about 50,000 people in Andhra Pradesh and another 48,000 in Odisha to move to safer areas ahead of the storm.
In Kakinada, a coastal city near the cyclone’s path, strong winds uprooted trees while heavy rain flooded streets and powerful waves battered the shoreline.
Emergency workers have been clearing fallen trees and debris from affected roads as residents assess the damage.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu praised officials for working through the night to respond to the emergency.
Residents said early warnings helped many people secure their homes and move to safer locations before conditions worsened.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Nepal warned that the storm could bring heavy rainfall, snowfall, snowstorms and avalanches as it moves inland towards the Himalayas.
