At least six people died and widespread power outages continued along India’s eastern coast following the passage of Cyclone Arnab, officials reported on Thursday. The cyclone, classified as a very severe cyclonic storm by the India Meteorological Department, struck Andhra Pradesh early Wednesday, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds.

While the Andhra Pradesh state government confirmed six fatalities, local officials cited by media reports indicated the death toll could be as high as nine. The deaths were attributed to electrocution, as well as injuries caused by falling trees and collapsing structures.

State Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stated that approximately 15,000 electricity poles were damaged by the storm. Although power had been restored in most affected districts by Thursday, outages persisted in Konaseem and West Godavari. Naidu credited advances in technology that helped identify the areas most vulnerable to cyclone impact, enabling authorities to take preventive measures that limited loss of life and property.

Ahead of the cyclone’s landfall, more than 180,000 people were evacuated from the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh and neighboring Odisha. Despite these precautions, infrastructure damage was substantial.

Separately, a Marshall Island-flagged cargo vessel with 20 crew members remains stranded off the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Officials attributed the continued delay in rescue or salvage operations to rough sea conditions following the cyclone.

The cyclone’s intensity and the extent of damage underscore the challenges faced by India's eastern coastal states during the current storm season, with emergency services continuing recovery efforts in the hardest-hit areas.