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Peek TV | October 29, 2026

Cyclone Arnab: Winds Of Destruction, Walls Of Weakness?

The Fact: At least three people were reported dead as Cyclone Arnab made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28. The cyclone has caused heavy rain, uprooted trees, damaged infrastructure, and led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from vulnerable coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Andhra Pradesh is the worst-hit state, according to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The cyclone has disrupted train and flight operations across the two states, with Air India Express cancelling almost 13 flights and Indigo suspending all flights at Visakhapatnam and services at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry after 7 pm on October 27. Rail services were also affected, with 57 trains cancelled and 15 others rescheduled due to the cyclone.

The Context: More than 84,000 people have been evacuated to safety. At the same time, the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) warned of gale-force winds of up to 135 kmph in Kakinada, Konaseema, and East Godavari districts. The very severe storm crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast between 2 am to 8 am before it weakened into a severe cyclonic storm. Polavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, and Krishna districts bore the brunt of the heavy rain. At landfall, sustained wind speeds reached 125–135 kmph, with gusts of up to 150 kmph. 

The Peek Insight: The Indian east coast has always been vulnerable to cyclones and storms, which highlights the importance of disaster preparedness. Even though the response system to such disasters has improved over the years, why is it that people living in these vulnerable areas still succumb to such cyclones due to electrocution or infrastructure directly falling on people? Preparedness also depends on having a strong foundation, resilient homes, and stronger coastal infrastructure. This is not simply about whether this is one of the most severe storms to graze the East Coast in the past couple of years; it is about whether the regions most exposed to cyclones are sufficiently equipped to withstand them and recover quickly.