Overview
- India’s meteorological service has classified Arnab as a very severe cyclone with forecast peak winds around 150 km/h as it nears the Bay of Bengal coast.
- State authorities have evacuated roughly 89,000 people into 101 relief camps and readied more than 2,000 protection sites while ordering further evacuations in Odisha.
- The IMD warns of heavy rainfall, coastal flooding, possible storm surge and the risk of 'complete destruction' of thatch housing and severe crop damage.
- Neighboring countries have issued precautions: Sri Lanka closed schools and put its military on alert for heavy rain and landslides, and Nepal warned of heavy mountain rain with avalanche risk.
- Officials have moved large numbers of vulnerable people into care—including reported transfers of more than 4,700 pregnant women—while transport services and schools have been suspended and impact assessments are expected after landfall.