BHUBANESWAR: At least three people were killed, dozens of houses damaged and crops destroyed as a powerful cyclone struck India's eastern coast from the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds, authorities said.
Cyclone Arnab, classified by the India Meteorological Department as a very severe cyclonic storm - the third-highest category on its scale - made landfall in Andhra Pradesh state early on Wednesday, with its centre then moving fully inland, the agency said.
"Andhra Pradesh has been most affected ... three people have lost their lives," Narendra Singh Bundela, a top official at the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), told reporters.
Heavy rain and high winds destroyed at least 180 houses, brought down 220 trees and disrupted power supply in several areas, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said in a letter to federal Home Minister Amit Shah, updating him on the situation.
Two of the deaths were caused by a tree falling and electrocution, officials in Naidu's office told Reuters.
Neighbouring Odisha state was not as badly affected, Bundela said, adding that wind speeds were expected to reduce as the cyclone moved inland.
Authorities had evacuated more than 180,000 people in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha ahead of the cyclone's arrival.
Some schools were closed, and some train and flight services were cancelled along the eastern coast.
Several NDRF and state teams were working in the affected areas, Bundela said, adding that heavy rain was also likely to affect some neighbouring states.
Television images showed trees fallen on highways as workers in rain gear cleared branches and leaves from the roads.
"No one knew whose house the water would rush into next, or whose home would be submerged," said Nagi, a resident of Andhra's Kakinada district.
"Trees have fallen, houses have been damaged, and all our belongings, including our books, have been destroyed," said Nagi, who did not give a last name.
Fishermen along the coast were advised not to go out to sea, and the weather department said it expected crop losses, as well as damage to thatched houses and communication lines.
Winds of 125 kph to 135 kph (77.7 mph to 83.9 mph), with gusts up to 150 kph, and a storm surge of 1 metre to 1.5 metres (3.28 feet to 4.92 feet) above normal tide are forecast to inundate low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh, it said.
India’s civil aviation ministry said operations at three Andhra Pradesh airports were suspended.
In neighbouring Nepal, authorities suspended trekking permit issuance to high mountain areas for three days because of the risk of rain and blizzards from the cyclone, Immigration Department information officer Gita Ghimire told Reuters.
This is peak trekking season in Nepal with around 750 hikers getting permits per day.
On Tuesday, Nepal warned tourists against venturing into high-altitude areas, fearing Arnab could trigger torrential downpours, snowstorms and avalanches in the Himalayan region from Thursday night through Saturday.
Arnab formed over the Bay of Bengal, a major region for tropical cyclones that has spawned deadly storms on India's east coast.
A super cyclone that killed nearly 10,000 people when it hit Odisha in October 1999 remains one of the country's deadliest natural disasters.
Over the years, India has developed early-warning systems and preventive measures to minimise loss of life. - Reuters
