The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Cyclone Arnab: 'Very severe' cyclonic storm continues to make landfall; Air India, IndiGo flights cancelled
More than 84,000 people were moved to shelters as authorities prioritised saving lives and maintaining emergency services.
Cyclone Arnab, described as a very severe cyclonic storm, began making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast around 1.20 am on Wednesday, October 28, with heavy rain and strong winds affecting multiple districts.
The India Meteorological Department reported the cyclone crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, with maximum sustained winds of 125-135 kmph and gusts up to 150 kmph. The system’s center remained near the coastline during landfall, and the northern spiral band moved inland.
More than 84,000 people had been moved to shelters, and authorities urged residents to remain indoors and follow evacuation plans. Officials indicated power and communication disruptions were anticipated, with preparations including drones for delivering essentials to marooned villages.
Flight operations were disrupted as adverse weather persisted, with Air India canceling six Delhi-Visakhapatnam flights and the Delhi-Vijayawada-Delhi sector for October 28, while Air India Express and IndiGo also reported multiple cancellations affecting routes through Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Vijayawada. Akasa Air cancelled some services but stated other flights would operate normally.
The cyclone was moving northwestwards toward the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, with authorities and the chief minister emphasizing life preservation, ongoing evacuations, and continued monitoring of rivers, power, and communications as Arnab progressed inland.