India braces for Cyclone Arnab with evacuations
Summary
Indian authorities have ordered evacuations in southwestern Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Arnab approaches the coast with winds of up to 140 km/h. Sri Lanka has also closed schools and warned of torrential rain, flash floods and mudslides as the storm system intensifies across the region.
Key Points
- Authorities in Andhra Pradesh ordered evacuations in low-lying areas ahead of Cyclone Arnab’s expected landfall by Wednesday.
- The India Meteorological Department said the storm could become a very severe cyclonic storm with winds reaching 140 kilometres per hour.
- Sri Lanka closed schools and warned of torrential rain, flash floods and mudslides, while the military was placed on alert.
- Andhra Pradesh officials also moved more than 4,700 pregnant women to hospitals and shut educational institutions in some districts.
