India prepares evacuations for Cyclone Arnab hitting eastern coast

Evacuation orders and vulnerable populations

Officials in Andhra Pradesh identified 570,000 people as vulnerable ahead of the storm. Evacuations were scheduled to begin on Monday evening for residents in low-lying areas. Schools in five districts of neighboring Odisha closed for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Expected wind speeds and rainfall

India's weather office forecast gusts reaching 140 kph as the system approaches landfall. The cyclone is expected to bring heavy to extremely heavy rainfall to coastal districts. Authorities warned that the storm could intensify further before making landfall.

Infrastructure and crop warnings

The India Meteorological Department expects widespread damage to standing crops during the event. Power restoration orders were issued in case of disruptions to the grid. Maritime safety instructions called for boats at sea to return ashore immediately.