Cyclone Arnab disrupts rail, air, road and port operations in coastal Andhra Pradesh

A cargo vessel carrying sulphur appears to have drifted and run aground off Antarvedi amid Cyclone Arnab on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: ANI Cyclone Arnab disrupted multi-modal transport and maritime operations across coastal Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, prompting round-the-clock emergency measures by railway, aviation, road transport and port authorities.Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed operational preparedness, with 24-hour war rooms set up and 600 km of railway track under surveillance. Relief wagons were stationed at critical junctions, including Visakhapatnam, Palasa and Bitragunta. South Coast Railway General Manager Sandeep Mathur directed officials to remain on high alert. More than 70 trains were regulated or cancelled, including train Nos. 06020 Narasapur-Tuticorin and 17291/17292 Narasapur-Thiruvannamalai Express services. Several long-distance trains, including the SMVT Bengaluru-Howrah and Ernakulam-Bilaspur Express services, were rescheduled. The Visakhapatnam-LTT Express was diverted via Duvvada, Eluru and Vijayawada.Air travel was also affected, with 27 flight operations cancelled at GMR-ASR International Airport at Bhogapuram near Visakhapatnam owing to squally winds and poor visibility. The cancellations affected domestic connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Tirupati, as well as international services to Bangkok and Abu Dhabi.The Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) curtailed bus services as passenger numbers fell and storm damage affected infrastructure. Regional Manager B. Appala Naidu inspected depots at Maddilapalem, Gajuwaka, Kurmannapalem, Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam and Waltair. The corporation operated only 60% of its scheduled services and suspended long-distance services from Visakhapatnam to Paderu, Bhadrachalam, Amalapuram, Kakinada and Bhimavaram. It also cancelled 160 city services. Full restoration of services was scheduled for October 29, subject to improvement in weather conditions.Maritime operations at ports across Andhra Pradesh came to a halt, with cargo loading and unloading and vessel berthing suspended amid high swells and gale-force winds. Emergency teams rescued personnel stranded at a warehouse at Kakinada Anchorage Port. Off the Antarvedi coast, a cargo vessel carrying sulphur drifted off course and ran aground. Port authorities at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Gangavaram issued storm warnings, secured anchored vessels and suspended freight operations until sea conditions improved. Published - October 28, 2026 06:54 pm IST