Ecosphere News | October 28, 2026
A powerful cyclonic storm reportedly made landfall along India’s Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts on the morning of October 28, bringing destructive winds, torrential rainfall and coastal flooding. The storm, identified in the supplied reports as Cyclone Arnab, has caused fatalities, damaged infrastructure and forced large-scale evacuations as authorities continue emergency response operations.
According to the information provided, the storm completed its landfall between approximately 2:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. local time near the coastal areas of Narsapur and Kakinada. Maximum sustained wind speeds reportedly reached 125-135 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 150 km/h.
At least five people have reportedly died in Andhra Pradesh, with falling trees and electrocution identified among the causes. Authorities have also undertaken extensive evacuation efforts, moving more than 180,000 people across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to safer locations. More than 57,000 people have reportedly taken refuge in emergency relief camps.
Homes, infrastructure and transport affected
The storm’s powerful winds and heavy rainfall have damaged houses, torn off rooftops, uprooted trees and brought down electricity lines, disrupting essential services in affected communities. Rough seas have also reportedly caused a cargo vessel carrying sulphur to run aground near Antarvedi.
Transport services have experienced significant disruption, with flights and train services cancelled or affected and schools closed as precautionary measures. Flight disruptions have reportedly extended beyond the immediate impact zone to Kolkata Airport.
The agricultural sector has also suffered substantial losses. Extensive areas of standing paddy crops are reportedly submerged at a particularly critical point in the harvesting season, raising concerns about farmers’ incomes, food production and rural livelihoods.
Storm weakens after moving inland
The supplied updates indicate that the cyclone has moved inland and weakened from its reported peak intensity. It is expected to continue moving north-northwestward, gradually losing strength and potentially weakening into a deep depression.
However, a weakening storm can still produce dangerous rainfall, flooding and landslides. Several districts in southern Odisha are reportedly under flash-flood alerts, while heavy downpours are expected to extend towards Chhattisgarh.
Authorities and emergency-response agencies in affected areas need to remain vigilant, particularly in communities exposed to river flooding, waterlogging, damaged infrastructure and disrupted electricity supplies.
Potential weather risks for Nepal
The storm’s wider weather impacts are also a concern for Nepal, where an advisory reportedly covering October 29–31 has raised warnings about possible heavy precipitation, high-altitude snowfall, severe snowstorms and avalanches. The supplied information also indicates restrictions on trekking permits and warnings for tourists.
These claims require confirmation from Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the Department of Tourism and other relevant authorities before being treated as official measures or forecasts. The precise impacts of a weakening tropical system on Nepal’s weather depend on its subsequent track, atmospheric conditions and interaction with regional weather systems.
Trekkers, mountaineers, tourism operators and residents in vulnerable mountain areas should follow current official forecasts and local safety instructions. Heavy precipitation and snowfall can rapidly increase risks on mountain trails, particularly where slopes are unstable or river levels are rising.
Disaster preparedness and climate resilience
The reported impacts of Cyclone Arnab underscore the importance of timely warnings, coordinated evacuations, resilient infrastructure and reliable emergency communications. Protecting people at risk must remain the immediate priority, alongside restoring essential services and assessing damage to housing, agriculture and livelihoods.
The storm also highlights the vulnerability of coastal communities and agricultural regions to extreme weather. While an individual cyclone cannot automatically be attributed to climate change, a changing climate can influence several factors associated with tropical cyclones, including rainfall intensity and coastal flood risks. Establishing the role of climate change in this particular event requires scientific attribution evidence.
As emergency operations continue, accurate public information, support for displaced households and timely assessments of agricultural and infrastructure losses will be essential to guide recovery efforts.
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