HM Amit Shah Assures Assistance To States Hit By Cyclone Arnab

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday assured Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha and Chhattisgarh of all possible assistance following Cyclone Arnab. He said the Centre was committed to supporting people affected by the disaster.

In a post on X, Shah said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Forces (SDRFs) had launched rescue and relief operations.

In the wake of Cyclone Arnab, spoke with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Puducherry, Odisha and Chhattisgarh and assured them of every assistance to mitigate the hardship of the people in the face of the disaster. NDRF and SDRF teams have sprung into action and are continuing rescue and relief operations on a war footing. IMCTs will soon be sent to assess the impact and further assistance required.

Government of India stands with the people with resolute commitment.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 29, 2026

He added that Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) would soon visit the affected areas to assess the damage and determine further assistance requirements.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclonic Storm Arnab had weakened into a deep depression. It was expected to weaken further into a depression by Thursday morning and develop into a well-marked low-pressure area by evening.

The cyclone crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, triggering heavy rainfall across several areas. At least 17 districts in southern Odisha reported the impact of the rainfall.

In Andhra Pradesh, five people died in cyclone-related incidents. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced relief and compensation for affected families, farmers, fishermen and businesses.

The IMD forecast a considerable reduction in rainfall across Kerala, with daytime temperatures likely to rise. However, isolated areas across 12 districts of Telangana faced the possibility of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds on Thursday.

Rainfall was expected to intensify in parts of Jharkhand and continue until Friday. Gudabanda in East Singhbhum recorded 71.4 mm of rainfall from Wednesday evening, while Manjhari in West Singhbhum received 64 mm.

Cyclone Arnab also revived memories of Cyclone Hudhud, which struck the region in October 2014. Strong overnight winds damaged green cover, uprooted electric poles and disrupted power supplies and mobile connectivity.

Also Read: Delhi To Bar Non-BS-VI Vehicles From Outside City From November 1