New Delhi, Oct. 27 (SANA) Indian authorities began large-scale evacuations on Tuesday across the eastern coastal states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as Cyclone Arnab approached, packing wind speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour.
According to AFP, the India Meteorological Department stated that the cyclone is expected to intensify into a severe storm, as the coastal city of Kakinada witnessed heavy rainfall and rising sea waves.
Authorities instructed around 98,000 people to leave their homes and head to shelters and safe areas, including approximately 50,000 in Andhra Pradesh and 48,000 in Odisha.
Weather warnings extended to Sri Lanka and Nepal, where Sri Lankan authorities closed schools in anticipation of heavy downpours that could trigger floods and landslides.
In Nepal, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority warned of the storm’s impact as it reaches mountainous regions toward the Himalayas in the coming days, forecasting heavy rain and snowfall that could trigger avalanches, and urging residents and tourists to avoid high-altitude travel and remain in safe locations.
The Bay of Bengal frequently experiences tropical cyclones during pre- and post-monsoon seasons, making the eastern coasts of India and Bangladesh highly vulnerable to severe weather events that cause significant human and material losses annually, prompting authorities to execute large-scale preemptive evacuation plans.
M.Q.R/H.H
