Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi called on central and state governments on Thursday, October 29, 2026, to provide rapid relief and rehabilitation to families hit by Cyclone Arnab in Andhra Pradesh and severe flooding in Odisha. His appeal came as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reported that the storm claimed seven lives in the state and caused preliminary estimated damages of ₹4,600 crore following its Wednesday landfall.
Posting on X on Thursday, Gandhi expressed condolences over the fatalities and widespread displacement across the eastern coast, according to Deshbandhu.
“My thoughts are with everyone affected, those who have lost their homes, livelihoods and a sense of security. I urge the governments to ensure swift relief and rehabilitation for every affected family during this difficult time.”
In Andhra Pradesh, the storm affected 3.45 lakh farmers and caused extensive damage to standing agricultural crops, horticultural plantations, roads, and power infrastructure, The Pioneer reported. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari districts suffered the heaviest impact, with approximately 8,000 electricity poles knocked down in Konaseema district alone.
Damage Assessment and Relief After Cyclone Arnab
Naidu conducted an aerial survey of the cyclone-affected Krishna and Godavari regions on Thursday before inspecting a damaged coconut orchard at Gacchakayala Pora village in Katrenikona mandal of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, accompanied by Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu and District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar. Speaking to reporters in Katrenikona, Naidu said every family shifted to a relief camp will receive a 25-kg bag of rice and cash assistance, The Hindu reported.
“The compensation and input subsidy will be decided immediately after the enumeration of the damage done to agriculture and horticulture crops,” Naidu said.
Approximately 30,000 officials and personnel were deployed for precautionary and relief operations across Andhra Pradesh. To speed up power restoration in the Godavari region, the state government requested 1,000 electricity workers from neighboring Telangana and stated that additional teams from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would be called in if needed. Naidu also suggested examining the installation of underground power cables in cyclone-prone coastal areas, noting that precautionary measures drawn from past storms—including Cyclones Hudhud, Titli, and Montha, a November 6 cyclone 30 years ago, and the Diviseema cyclone nearly 70 years ago—helped limit casualties this time.
Coastal Rescues and Regional Weather Impact
Emergency crews carried out multiple rescues along the coast during and after landfall. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Response Force teams rescued 30 people stranded by floodwaters in Loddaputti village of Ichchapuram mandal in Srikakulam district. Off the coast near Antarvedi, the Indian Coast Guard rescued 20 crew members from the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier MV Sigma Pearl after the vessel suffered engine failure during Cyclone Arnab and ran aground.
In neighboring Odisha, post-cyclone heavy rain battered Ganjam and Gajapati districts. Ahead of the October 28 landfall forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha had closed schools, enforced fishing bans, and issued red alerts. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi deployed eight ministers to oversee preparations in vulnerable areas, while the state fielded 313 relief teams and facilitated the safe delivery of 931 babies during the storm alert. Majhi also thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for assuring central assistance to Odisha.
Further north, the IMD issued heavy rain alerts for several districts in West Bengal from October 28 through October 30, warning of potential landslides in the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri on October 29 and October 30.
Naidu briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the situation in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday and confirmed the next step in the relief process. “A Central team will arrive in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari districts on Friday to assess the damage,” Naidu said.