Cyclone Arnab slammed into India’s east coast early Wednesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. More than 180,000 people had been evacuated ahead of the storm.

The India Meteorological Department classified Arnab as a very severe cyclonic storm, the third-highest category on its scale. It crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. local time before its center moved fully inland and it began to weaken.

Deaths and Damage

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said five people died in the state in incidents involving electrocution, falling trees and poles, and a wall collapse. Earlier reports had put the number at three. In Odisha, the state’s chief minister said there were no casualties.

Officials say heavy rain and wind brought down trees and power lines, damaged homes and flooded farmland. Operations at three Andhra Pradesh airports were suspended, and some train and flight services were canceled. In Odisha, landslides and flooding were reported in the south, and the state moved nearly 44,000 people to relief centers.

Elsewhere

In neighboring Nepal, authorities suspended trekking permits for high mountain areas for three days because of the risk of heavy rain and snow tied to the storm.

India has built early-warning and evacuation systems over the years to limit deaths from cyclones. A super cyclone that struck Odisha in October 1999 killed nearly 10,000 people.

Photo: Mahesh Kumar A./AP