New Delhi: As the very severe cyclonic storm Arnab has made landfall in Andhra Pradesh, the India Meteorological Department has issued red alerts for several districts which will continue to see extremely heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong surface winds. Thousands were evacuated to cyclone shelters ahead of the storm last evening.Districts under red alert are Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, and Eluru.The Met Office’s 8:45 am bulletin says that the cyclone has remained “practically stationary” during the past three hours and lay centred at 5:30 am about 30 km east of Narsapur (Andhra Pradesh), 45 km south-southwest of Yanam (Puducherry UT), 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh).People walk amid strong winds and rainfall at a coastal area during Cyclone Arnab’s landfall, in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Photo: PTI.The IMD has forecast winds of 115-125 kph and gusts of up to 140 kph, with a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above normal tide likely to inundate low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh.PTI quoted Kakinada Superintendent of Police G Bindu Madhav as having recorded some damage in the district. A few hundred trees and fewer than 100 electric poles were uprooted in the storm before rainfall subsided after 1 am.The Uppada road, running along the coast, has been completely washed away, Madhav said, adding that rainfall was relatively low in the district with gusty winds causing the main impact.Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said today that no loss of life has been reported so far.Waves crash at the shore amid strong winds during Cyclone Arnab’s landfall, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. Photo: PTI.“The advance precautionary measures taken by the administrative machinery helped prevent casualties,” said Naidu in an official press release.Authorities set up over 2,000 cyclone shelters across 20 districts, while emergency alerts were being sent to the mobile phones of millions of residents. More than 30,000 fishing boats were secured along the coast, while nearly 1,100 medical teams were deployed across affected areas to provide emergency assistance, Prakhar Jain, head of the state’s disaster management authority, added.Naidu asked officials to clear roads blocked by fallen trees within two hours and ensure immediate removal of trees obstructing national highways.