Cyclone Arnab has weakened into a deep depression after crossing the Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast early on October 28, bringing heavy rain and winds of 125–135 kmph, with gusts reaching 150 kmph. The storm caused widespread damage across coastal Andhra Pradesh, including uprooted trees and electricity poles, damaged roads and houses, power disruptions and losses to agricultural and horticultural crops.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said five people died in cyclone-related incidents and announced ₹5 lakh ex gratia for each bereaved family. The state has begun relief and restoration work, while a preliminary damage assessment is being prepared for the Centre and further assistance is being considered.
Landfall Hit Coast
Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between 2 am and 8 am on October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm. The India Meteorological Department said the centre crossed the coast about 20 km east-northeast of Narsapur and around 40 km southwest of Yanam.
At landfall, the system had maximum sustained winds of 125–135 kmph, with gusts reaching 150 kmph. Visakhapatnam recorded 216.9 mm of rainfall, while Kalingapatnam, Tuni, Kakinada and Machilipatnam also recorded more than 100 mm. Low-lying coastal areas faced inundation amid the storm’s heavy rain and strong winds.
Five Deaths Reported
Naidu said five people died in cyclone-related incidents, including cases involving falling trees and electricity poles. He announced ₹5 lakh ex gratia for each deceased person’s family. The government said around 15,000 electricity poles were uprooted across the state, although power supply had already been restored in most districts.
Restoration was continuing in affected pockets of Konaseema and West Godavari. Naidu said around 30,000 field-level officials and personnel had been coordinated during the response, with officials instructed to remain in affected areas until normalcy returns.
Farmers Face Losses
Agriculture and horticulture have emerged among the worst-affected sectors. Naidu said preliminary assessments indicated that crops across around 70,900 hectares had been affected, with about 10,450 hectares specifically reported as inundated or damaged at that stage.
The assessment includes paddy and horticultural crops. The government proposed assistance of ₹35,000 per hectare for banana and ₹25,000 per hectare for tomato, while ₹25,000 per hectare was also being considered for cotton, sugarcane and certain other crops. Officials are conducting field-level assessments before final compensation is determined.
Relief Reaches Families
Families whose homes were inundated will receive 25 kg of rice, while fishermen and handloom workers will receive 50 kg of rice along with onions, cooking oil and red gram. People staying in relief camps will receive ₹1,000 each. The government has also said it will provide immediate financial assistance for eligible losses other than crop damage, but the detailed assistance package was still awaiting a Cabinet decision as of October 29.
More than 28,000 people had been shifted to rehabilitation centres in Andhra Pradesh, while a wider evacuation effort across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha moved more than 1.8 lakh people to safer locations.
Centre Asked For Support
Naidu has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking central assistance and early deployment of assessment teams. The state government plans to submit its preliminary damage assessment to the Centre, covering damage to crops, houses, roads and electricity infrastructure.
The Chief Minister said the administration had conducted multiple reviews before and during the cyclone and credited advance planning, monitoring and the mobilisation of officials with helping reduce the impact.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Cyclone Arnab shows why disaster preparedness must extend beyond evacuation and emergency response to long-term recovery. For families who have lost loved ones, homes or livelihoods, relief must reach quickly and transparently, while farmers, fishermen, workers and small businesses need sustained support to rebuild.
At the same time, the damage should prompt stronger investment in resilient infrastructure and early-warning systems as extreme weather events become increasingly disruptive. As Andhra Pradesh begins its recovery, what more can governments and communities do to ensure that preparedness protects both lives and livelihoods?
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