India’s east coast has roughly a day and a half to get ready. Cyclone Arnab, born over the Bay of Bengal only on Sunday, has strengthened into a very severe cyclonic storm and should make landfall on Wednesday close to the port town of Kakinada, or nearby Yanam, at about lunchtime, carrying gusts close to 140km/h.
Some of the most striking preparations concern expectant mothers. Andhra Pradesh says it has moved 4,711 pregnant women from exposed villages into clinics and hospitals, while neighbouring Odisha is keeping watch over about 3,000 more and will shift them if conditions worsen.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered low-lying areas cleared across a long chain of coastal districts, from Srikakulam in the north to Nellore in the south. Schools and colleges there will stay shut until 31 October. More than 30,000 fishing boats have come back to harbour, and disaster response teams from both the national and state forces are already in position. Seven districts, among them Kakinada and East Godavari, are under a red alert, with isolated falls of over 200mm of rain possible.
Odisha is not expecting a direct hit but is taking no chances. Fishing at sea is banned in its southern districts, and visitors are barred from hills, waterfalls and dams. Eight ministers have been sent to oversee local plans, and more than 1,700 shelters are ready. Delhi has promised army and navy support if needed.
Eastern India has learned hard lessons from past storms, and large, early evacuations have sharply cut death tolls in recent years. The test of this round of planning comes on Wednesday.
