Indian authorities began large-scale evacuation operations today, Tuesday, in the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in eastern India, as Tropical Cyclone "Arnab" is expected to hit the eastern coasts, accompanied by winds reaching speeds of 150 kilometers per hour. The India Meteorological Department issued warnings that the cyclone could intensify into a severe storm, while the coastal city of Kakinada experienced heavy rainfall and a significant rise in wave levels.
For its part, authorities requested that approximately 98,000 people leave their homes and head to shelters and safe areas, with about 50,000 of them concentrated in Andhra Pradesh and 48,000 in Odisha. In the same context, weather warnings extended to Sri Lanka and Nepal, where Sri Lankan authorities closed schools in anticipation of heavy rainfall that could cause floods and landslides.
The Nepal Disaster Management Authority indicated the storm's impacts upon reaching mountainous areas towards the Himalayas in the coming days, predicting heavy rains and intense snowfall that could lead to glacial collapses. Authorities urged residents and tourists to avoid traveling in highlands and to stay in safe places due to the significant risks posed by these weather phenomena.
The Bay of Bengal region frequently experiences tropical cyclones during the pre- and post-monsoon seasons, and the eastern coasts of India and Bangladesh are among the areas most vulnerable to these phenomena, which cause significant annual human and material losses. Authorities implement large-scale proactive evacuation plans to mitigate the effects of these recurring natural disasters.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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