Central team arrives in Andhra Pradesh to assess Cyclone Arnab damage
Three people died and a seven-member government team has reached the state to inspect areas hit by the storm.
A seven-member Central Government team arrived in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday to inspect locations impacted by Cyclone Arnab, according to Telangana Today. Led by Chittaranjan Das from the Union Home Ministry, the group is scheduled to visit affected areas on Saturday and Sunday.
The storm, which crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between 2 am and 8 am on Wednesday, resulted in three deaths and damage to 31 houses in Andhra Pradesh, a National Disaster Response Force officer told PTI, as reported by Scroll.
The India Meteorological Department confirmed that the very severe cyclonic storm weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after completing landfall. The storm's centre moved over land along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, with wind speeds recorded between 125 kmph and 135 kmph.
In Odisha, the government evacuated more than 30,000 people as the storm was expected to affect southern districts. Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari stated that Malkangiri would likely face the most impact as the cyclone moved into the state.
The National Disaster Response Force had deployed 12 teams in Andhra Pradesh and nine in Odisha. Meanwhile, Indian Railways cancelled at least 64 trains scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday as a precaution, and airlines including IndiGo and Air India reported potential flight disruptions at several airports.