Cyclone Arnab: Disaster Management and Challenges

31 Oct 2026

Tags: Disaster Management   Risk & Preparedness   Disaster response

Source: The Hindu

Context: Cyclone Arnab, the first named storm of the North Indian Ocean cyclone season this year, rapidly intensified before making landfall on October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm.

• Forecasting challenges: The cyclone intensified and moved towards the coast faster than anticipated, with landfall beginning several hours before the IMD’s prediction, potentially reducing the time available for evacuations.
• Intensity and impact: Core wind speeds reached 125–135 km/h, while parts of Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Kalingapatnam, Kakinada and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh received over 100 mm of rainfall.

Disaster Management and Response

• Proactive governance: Timely disaster-management operations in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha helped limit casualties. Although early reports indicated no deaths, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu subsequently reported five deaths in Andhra Pradesh.
• Preventive measures: Suspension of transport services and flights, closure of schools and offices, and power cuts helped reduce risks from flooding, strong winds and loose electrical wires, but also caused social and economic disruptions.
• Continuing threat: Southern Odisha remains vulnerable to rainfall and flooding caused by moisture carried in the cyclone’s outer circulation, even after its landfall.

Flooding and Agricultural Concerns in Odisha

• High flood vulnerability: Odisha experienced its fourth-wettest monsoon in history. Incompletely drained soils increase the risk of further flooding even with comparatively lower rainfall, while hilly areas face potential slope failures.
• Agricultural losses: Farmers in Ganjam and Puri fear prolonged inundation could destroy paddy crops, worsening financial distress caused by the southwest monsoon. Ganjam had already lost 33% of its crops by October.
• Uneven rainfall impact: While farmers in Ganjam and Puri fear crop damage, those in Sundargarh hope the rainfall will relieve moisture stress in standing crops after a dry month.
• IMD alerts: Alerts were issued for Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi, with the rainbelt expected to extend further north.

Challenges and Way Forward

• Beyond reducing casualties: Low death tolls demonstrate the importance of preparedness, evacuation and coordinated disaster response, but property damage and infrastructure disruption remain significant concerns.
• Zero-disruption approach: States should strengthen forecasting, last-mile warnings, resilient infrastructure, targeted evacuation and continuity of essential services to minimise disruption while protecting lives.
• Livelihood protection: Post-disaster assessments must address crop losses, damaged assets and livelihood insecurity through timely relief, agricultural assistance and rehabilitation to prevent vulnerable households from slipping into poverty.