Daijiworld Media Network - Amaravati

Amaravati, Oct 28: Cyclone Arnab has claimed three lives and damaged 31 houses in Andhra Pradesh, leaving a trail of destruction in parts of the state, a senior National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer said on Wednesday.

The cyclone made landfall near Yanam in Puducherry and has weakened from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm. It is expected to lose further strength and weaken into a cyclonic storm before becoming a deep depression by Wednesday evening, the officer said.

NDRF officer Bundela said north coastal Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha were among the areas most affected, with strong winds and heavy rainfall reported in several districts.

“Andhra Pradesh has been the most affected. We have been informed that trees have been uprooted, 31 houses of various types have been damaged and three persons have been killed,” he said, adding that preliminary reports indicated no major impact in Odisha.

Coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh experienced heavy rainfall and strong winds, with maximum wind speeds reaching up to 135 kmph.

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha had stepped up preparedness measures, establishing nearly 4,000 cyclone shelters and shifting thousands of people from vulnerable areas to safer locations.

Disaster management personnel were placed on standby, while traffic restrictions were imposed on several roads.

The Andhra Pradesh government has established 2,131 cyclone shelters across 20 districts and kept 1,087 medical teams on standby in areas likely to be affected. It has also arranged 8,281 emergency beds and 1,274 ambulances, officials said.