Storm Surge: Cyclone Arnab Hits India's East Coast

Cyclone Arnab struck the eastern coast of India early Wednesday morning, bringing wind speeds of up to 135 kph (84 mph) and heavy rain to the Andhra Pradesh shoreline. The impact caused immediate disruption, with trees falling onto highways and power grids failing across the region.

The system made landfall as a "very severe cyclonic storm," the third-highest category on the national scale. Authorities downgraded the classification to "severe" once the storm moved further inland. India's Meteorological Department forecast a storm surge of up to 1.5 meters above tide levels, warning that low-lying areas in Andhra Pradesh would face submersion.

Preparations began a day earlier when officials evacuated at least 180,000 people from Andhra Pradesh and the neighboring state of Odisha. Transportation networks halted, with flights and train services cancelled. Some schools closed to keep students safe. No casualties had been reported as of the latest update.

The storm's expected path covers a population of more than 12 million people. In Kakinada district, residents braced for the incoming water. One local described the uncertainty: "No one knew whose house the water would rush into next or whose home would be submerged."

The weather system also affected the Himalayan region. Nepali authorities warned tourists on Tuesday to avoid high-altitude areas from Thursday through Saturday due to the risk of torrential downpours, snowstorms, and avalanches. The country suspended issuing trekking permits for three days. This suspension came during peak hiking season, when roughly 750 hikers usually receive permits daily. Nepal is still recovering from a glacial mountain collapse in August that killed more than 1,400 people and left at least 5,000 missing.

Sri Lanka also closed its schools. The nation's Department of Meteorology warned that the storm could trigger flash floods and landslides across the island.