Cyclone Arnab Batters India with Heavy Rains and Strong Winds, Leaving 6 Dead

A powerful tropical cyclone accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain has struck India, leaving 6 people dead.

Cyclone Arnab, which formed over the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean, made landfall on the southeastern coast of India on October 28 local time.

The government of Andhra Pradesh state on the southern coast announced that at least 6 people have died due to Arnab.

Among them, 2 women were killed in electrocution accidents, and other victims were reported to have died from being struck by falling trees.

The Indian media outlet The Times of India reported, citing local officials, that 9 people have died, a higher toll than the official announcement.

The Andhra Pradesh state government stated that infrastructure such as homes and roads suffered major damage from the strong winds and heavy rains brought by Arnab, noting that severe damage occurred particularly in 14 coastal districts.

Crop damage was estimated at 32,000 hectares, and dozens of homes were also destroyed.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said in a statement, "15,000 utility poles were also damaged by this cyclone," while explaining that "power supply has been restored in most areas except for Konaseema and West Godavari."

Previously, as Arnab approached on October 27, a total of 180,000 people were evacuated from low-lying and flood-prone areas in Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring state of Odisha.

Some schools were closed, and several train and flight operations were canceled.

Neighboring Sri Lanka also ordered the closure of all schools nationwide in preparation for Arnab's landfall, and Nepal warned tourists to refrain from visiting high-altitude areas.

Cyclones are tropical depressions that occur in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific, and in the Bay of Bengal, they typically form around May and November every year, causing major damage to coastal regions in India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

In 2007, Cyclone Sidr struck Bangladesh, killing more than 3,000 people, and in 2008, Cyclone Nargis left 138,000 people dead or missing in Myanmar.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.