Cyclone Arnab: AP worst hit , 3 killed, flights, train services affected

Andhra Pradesh bore the brunt of Cyclone Arnab, with three people killed and 31 houses damaged, a senior National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer said on Wednesday. The disaster response and rescue teams of the Centre and those of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are now bracing to tackle the effects of rainfall, which is expected to continue in the two states and adjoining areas, NDRF Inspector General (IG) Narendra Singh Bundela told reporters in New delhi during a press briefing. "North of Andhra Pradesh and the southern part of Odisha have been the most affected due to Cyclone Arnab. Strong winds and rainfall are being witnessed in a few districts of the two states," Bundela said. The cyclone has made landfall near Yanam, Puducherry, and has weakened from a very serious cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm. It is estimated that it will gradually lose strength to convert into a cyclonic storm and finally into a deep depression by the evening, he said.
The India Meteorological Department said the storm crossed the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Narsapur and southwest of Yanam, in earlier this morning. At the time of landfall, the cyclone brought maximum sustained winds of 125 to 135 kilometres per hour, with gusts reaching 150 kilometres per hour. The landfall process was completed by 8 AM, with the storm’s central region moving entirely over land. 

#CycloneArnab causes havoc in Andhra Pradesh with uprooted trees, damaged roads, and rail tracks. Officials urge coastal residents to stay alert. Over 12 flights from Shamshabad cancelled; South Central Railway cancels multiple trains due to bad weather. @IANSENGMONTHLY https://t.co/Z0DbaDNnxa

— Gummalla Lakshmana (@GUMMALLALAKSHM3) October 28, 2026

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking early deployment of central teams to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Arnab in the state. In his letter, the Chief Minister said the cyclone had damaged crops, houses, roads and electricity infrastructure. He said 16 NDRF and 11 SDRF teams had been deployed across 14 districts, while more than 28 thousand people had been shifted to rehabilitation centres. No loss of life has been reported so far. The state government has issued emergency helpline numbers 1070 and 112. Mr Naidu also sought continued support from central agencies for relief and rehabilitation. The authorities have evacuated over 1 lakh 80 thousand people into safer zones and relief shelters across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. More than 100 train services have been cancelled or rescheduled.