5 dead as Cyclone Arnab batters north Andhra with heavy rain
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A Cyclone Arnab uproots thousands of trees along the coastal belt in Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema district on October 28, 2026 | Photo Credit: V RAJU
Five people were killed in rain-related incidents as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab battered north Andhra Pradesh with extremely heavy rain and winds gusting up to 150 kmph on the intervening night of October 27 and 28, uprooting more than 1,000 trees and affecting agricultural and horticultural crops across 80,500 hectares, official reports said.
More than 42 weather stations across the northern districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Anakapalli recorded over 200 mm of rain between 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday (October 28, 2026). Garividi of Vizianagaram district recorded the highest rainfall of 260mm. Another 271 stations across the State reported at least 100 mm during the same period.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the damages caused by the cyclone, said crops, mainly paddy, across more than 70,000 hectares have been inundated, and horticultural crops spread over 10,500 hectares have also been affected.
Mr. Naidu announced relief measures for those affected, including fishermen, farmers, handloom households, people staying in relief camps and those whose houses, grocery shops, restaurants and other service establishments have been damaged. Families whose houses were inundated would receive 25 kg of rice, while fishermen’s families and handloom households would get 50 kg. Each affected family would also receive one kg each of red gram, onions, sugar and potatoes, besides one litre of palm oil, he said.
As the system began crossing the coast near Narsapur in West Godavari district around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday (October 28), winds blowing at 125-135 kmph left a trail of destruction in the district. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) managing director Prakhar Jain said West Godavari and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema districts have borne the brunt of the cyclone.
The landfall process continued till 8:00 a.m., after which the system weakened into a Severe Cyclonic Storm. As per observations made by the India Meteorological Department at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday (October 28), the system lay centred about 50 km north-northeast of Narsapur, 48 km west-northwest of Yanam and 50 km west of Kakinada. The associated wind speed was 85-95 kmph.
After landfall, rainfall shifted towards the central parts of the State, especially in the districts of Krishna, West Godavari and East Godavari. Challapalli in Krishna district recorded the day’s highest rainfall of 121 mm as of 7:00 p.m.
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