Cyclone Arnab, classified as a very severe cyclonic storm by the Indian Meteorological Department, made landfall near the Andhra Pradesh coast at about 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, sweeping the region in a six‑hour storm surge that pushed seawater inland, leaving behind flooded streets and damaged infrastructure.
The death toll rose to three: a 46‑year‑old Bhimavaram resident was crushed by a falling tree, a 53‑year‑old Visakhapatnam farmer struck a live wire in an agricultural channel, and a 55‑year‑old woman in Yellamanchili was shocked by an exposed electric line.
The cyclonic surge has forced the evacuation of roughly 12,000 residents from low‑lying districts, according to the Andhra Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, and has toppled dozens of trees and power lines across the coast.
Power restoration crews are working round the clock, while the state government has deployed the National Disaster Response Force to set up relief camps and distribute essential supplies. The next phase will see a full assessment of infrastructure damage and the reopening of schools and hospitals.