12 Million in Path of Cyclone Arnab as India Prepares for Landfall

More than 12 million people live in the path of Cyclone Arnab as it strengthens over the Bay of Bengal. The storm is expected to cross the coast of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha by 11:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, bringing sustained winds of 115 to 125 km/h and gusts reaching 140 km/h.

Arnab formed over the Bay of Bengal, a region known for generating tropical cyclones that impact India's eastern seaboard. The India Meteorological Department classified the system as a very severe cyclonic storm. By the time of the latest update, the center was located 260 km southeast of Visakhapatnam, the most populous city in Andhra Pradesh.

The storm has intensified since Monday. Prakhar Jain, managing director of Andhra Pradesh’s disaster management authority, told Reuters that nearly 50,000 people had been moved to shelters by Monday night. This group represents a portion of the 400,000 residents in vulnerable areas who require evacuation. Jain noted that the evacuation process was still ongoing.

In neighboring Odisha, local newspaper The Hindu reported that authorities plan to evacuate 48,000 people. Railway officials in the region canceled at least 12 trains in eastern India. They also suspended service on 53 routes along the southern coast for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Nepal authorities issued a warning for tourists to avoid high-altitude areas. Officials are concerned that Arnab could trigger heavy rain, snowstorms, and avalanches in the Himalayas from Thursday night through Saturday. This advisory follows a flash flood in August that killed approximately 1,500 people in the country.