New Delhi, 28 October (H.S.): Cyclone Arnab has crossed the coast near Yanam in Puducherry and is expected to weaken into a cyclonic storm over the next six hours and further into a deep depression by the evening. Andhra Pradesh has borne the brunt of the storm, with three people reported dead and 31 houses damaged. Thousands of people have been evacuated to safer locations across the state.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela said on Wednesday that northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha were the areas most affected by the cyclone. Three deaths and damage to 31 houses have been reported in Andhra Pradesh, where approximately 57,000 people have been moved to relief camps.

Addressing a press conference here, Bundela said the Central Government had arranged for four additional NDRF teams to be deployed in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday night, with assistance from the armed forces, in view of the evolving cyclonic situation. The teams were transported by Indian Air Force aircraft.

NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel are engaged in relief and rescue operations in both states in coordination with the respective state and central authorities. The Andhra Pradesh government has deployed 80 SDRF teams.

Bundela said a total of 39 NDRF teams had been deployed across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Puducherry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Preliminary reports indicate that Odisha has not experienced any severe impact from the cyclone. Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds continues in some districts of Andhra Pradesh.

In Yanam, 38 people who had been stranded due to rainfall were evacuated to safety by Tuesday evening.

The NDRF official said the safety of elderly people, pregnant women and children was being prioritised during the cyclone. Pregnant women are being shifted to hospitals and dispensaries as a precautionary measure, while residents of low-lying areas are being moved to safer locations. Fishing boats have been directed to remain securely moored along the coast or be moved to other safe locations. Local agencies are also working to alert residents and raise awareness about necessary safety measures.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation arising from the cyclone. He held a teleconference with around 32,000 personnel, including district collectors, and directed them to restore normalcy at the earliest and minimise the damage.

Naidu also spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the phone and briefed him on the damage caused by the cyclone in the state. He apprised Shah of the situation in Visakhapatnam, Konaseema, Kakinada, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru and Krishna districts.

According to preliminary assessments, agricultural crops across more than 70,000 hectares have been inundated in the state. Horticultural crops spread over approximately 10,500 hectares have also been affected. Damage has additionally been reported to houses, roads and electricity poles.

The Chief Minister said the state government had taken extensive precautionary measures to minimise loss of life and property amid the cyclone.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar