Cyclone Arnab made landfall along India's eastern coast on Wednesday as a very severe cyclonic storm. The India Meteorological Department reported that the center crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts southwest of Yanam, near Narsapur in West Godavari district, between approximately 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. IST.

Maximum sustained winds reached 125 to 135 kilometers per hour with gusts up to 150 kilometers per hour during the crossing. The storm remained nearly stationary near the coast for several hours before moving inland and weakening to a severe cyclonic storm.

Heavy rainfall and strong winds caused flooding, uprooted trees, and disrupted power supplies in coastal districts including Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Konaseema. Storm surges of 1 to 1.5 meters affected low-lying areas. Northern Andhra Pradesh districts reported the most damage, with over 80,000 hectares of crops affected and at least 180 houses damaged.

Authorities evacuated tens of thousands of residents to relief camps ahead of the storm. Multiple fatalities occurred in cyclone-related incidents, according to state officials. Flights were canceled at airports in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada, and schools closed in vulnerable areas.

The name Arnab was contributed by Bangladesh for the North Indian Ocean cyclone naming list. The system originated as a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal earlier in the week and intensified rapidly before approaching the coast.

The cyclone is expected to continue weakening over land and dissipate over northeastern India in the coming days, though its remnants may bring additional rainfall to parts of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.