Wednesday 28 / October / 2026
New Delhi: Cyclone Arnab has weakened after entering the landmass and is expected to further lose intensity by Wednesday evening, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela said, adding that four additional NDRF teams were deployed to Andhra Pradesh as part of disaster response preparations.
At least three people were killed in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, local media cited authorities saying, as Cyclone Arnab made its way further inland after making landfall earlier today.
The storm lost some speed after a prolonged lanfall, downgrading it to a "severe cyclonic storm" from a "very severe cyclonic storm." It is expected to further weaken into a "cyclonic storm" and turn into a "deep depression" by the evening, National Disaster Response Force Inspector General (IG) Narendra Singh Bundela told reporters in New Delhi.
"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.
"Andhra Pradesh has been the most affected... we have been informed that trees have been uprooted, 31 houses of various types have been damaged and three persons have been killed," he said, adding that the impact on Odisha was not serious as per preliminary reports.
The IG said nearly 40 NDRF teams had been deployed to regions along India's east coast to manage the impact of the cyclone.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Bundela said the system had been downgraded from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm and was expected to weaken further over the coming hours.
He said, "The system has now fully entered the landmass. It has been downgraded from a 'very severe cyclonic storm'—a category based on wind speed—to a 'severe cyclonic storm.' It is projected that within the next six hours—by this afternoon—it will weaken further into a 'cyclonic storm,' and by evening, it is expected to downgrade even more into a 'deep depression.' The Government of India, with the assistance of the NDRF and the defense forces, deployed four additional NDRF teams to Andhra Pradesh last night, anticipating that it would be the most severely impacted state. These teams were transported via Indian Air Force aircraft."
Bundela said NDRF, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other district-level response teams were actively engaged in operations across their respective areas.
He asserted, “Currently, through the coordination between the state and central governments, NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed on the ground. The state government has deployed a total of 80 SDRF teams"
He also shared details of the evacuation efforts carried out in Yanam, where people were stranded due to rainfall, and said information on losses and damage was being periodically released by the state government.
He added, "Along with the SDRF, the NDRF, and various district-level departmental forces capable of providing assistance, all are actively engaged in operations within their respective areas. As of yesterday evening, the NDRF had evacuated 38 people in Yanam, where some individuals had become stranded due to the rain. The state government is also periodically sharing information regarding losses and damages through the State Emergency Operation Center; this information is available for public viewing on the website."
Meanwhile, very severe cyclonic storm Arnab completed its landfall along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, southwest of Yanam, by 8 am on Wednesday, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125–135 kmph and gusts up to 150 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In a post on X, the IMD said the cyclone crossed the coast between 2 am and 8 am on October 28, with its centre moving completely over land by 8 am.
The weather agency said the system was centred over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and the adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal at 8:30 am, around 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur, 40 km southwest of Yanam, 60 km southwest of Kakinada, 90 km east-northeast of Machilipatnam, 120 km east of Gannavaram and 120 km southwest of Tuni.
The Andhra Pradesh government has been placed on high alert in view of Cyclone Arnab, with the state administration working round the clock to safeguard lives and minimise property damage, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated on Wednesday.
No loss of life has been reported so far.
High-intensity sea waves and severe coastal erosion caused by the cyclone led to damage along the Uppada coastal road near Kakinada.
Restoration and repair works have already commenced in the area to restore connectivity and safeguard the coastline.
