Cyclone Arnab in India: at least six dead, tens of thousands of power outages

Casualties and destruction on India's eastern coast

At least six people have died as a result of Cyclone Arnab in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh — Reuters reported. On Thursday, electricity supply had still not been restored in a number of districts along the country's eastern coast.

Discrepancy in the death toll

The casualty figures differ. The Times of India, citing local officials, reported that the death toll had reached nine: according to the newspaper, people died from electrocution, falling trees and collapsing houses. The state government, however, puts the official death toll at six. The India Meteorological Department classified Arnab as a 'very severe tropical cyclone'; it made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast early on Wednesday morning.

Scale of the damage and response measures

According to a statement by the state's chief minister, the cyclone damaged at least 15,000 electricity pylons. Apart from the Konaseema and West Godavari districts, power supply has been restored in most areas. The minister stressed that the highest-risk areas had been identified in advance using technology, which, in his words, helped reduce the loss of life and damage to property. Before the storm hit, more than 180,000 people were evacuated in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha; some schools were closed, and a number of train services and flights were cancelled. In addition, a cargo ship flying the flag of the Marshall Islands with 20 crew members on board ran aground off the Andhra Pradesh coast — due to unfavourable weather at sea, it remained in the same spot on Thursday as well.