Tens of thousands of people along India's eastern coast are leaving their homes for emergency shelters as Cyclone Arnab gains strength and moves toward land. More than 12 million people live along the projected path of the storm, which is expected to cross the coast on Wednesday morning.
In the state of Andhra Pradesh, nearly 50,000 people from vulnerable areas were moved to shelters by Monday night. Prakhar Jain, the managing director of the state's disaster management authority, told the Reuters news agency that about 400,000 people may need to evacuate in total. In the neighbouring state of Odisha, authorities have also announced plans to move 48,000 residents out of danger.
Cyclone Arnab formed over the Bay of Bengal, a region known for frequent tropical storms. The India Meteorological Department reported that the "very severe" storm was centered about 260 kilometers (160 miles) southeast of the port city of Visakhapatnam. Forecasters expect sustained wind speeds between 115 and 125 kilometers per hour (71 to 78 mph), with gusts reaching up to 140 kilometers per hour (87 mph).
The incoming storm has already disrupted travel across the region. Railway authorities said they canceled at least 12 trains in eastern India and suspended services on 53 coastal routes for Tuesday and Wednesday. Officials in neighbouring Nepal have also advised tourists to stay away from high-altitude areas, warning that Arnab could trigger heavy rain, snowstorms, and avalanches in the Himalayas later this week.