Cyclone Arnab - live: India evacuates tens of thousands as 'very severe' storm approaches

Cyclone Arnab - live: India evacuates tens of thousands as 'very severe' storm approaches Cyclone Arnab is expected to make landfall on India's eastern coast, bringing horror 78mph winds to town and cities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from India's eastern coast out of a massive 400,000 that need to be relocated as an intensifying cyclone threatens to batter coastal communities with winds of up to 78mph. Cyclone Arnab has been strengthening since Monday and is expected to make landfall on Wednesday morning, with the powerful winds and torrential rain set to bring destruction to the state of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. India's Meteorological Department has issued warnings as the storm moves towards the coast, with the cyclone's centre last reported just 260km (160 miles) south-east of the port city of Visakhapatnam. Forecasters expect the storm to move north-west before crossing the coast at around 6am GMT on Wednesday, with sustained winds of up to 125km/h (78mph). Prakhar Jain, managing director of Andhra Pradesh’s disaster management authority, said more than 12 million people live in the storm's path of which about 400,000 will need to be evacuated. Key Events Trees whipped sideways by fierce winds A video shows ferocious winds and rain battering trees in Andhra Pradesh, with branches and leaves bent almost horizontally by the gusts. Separate footage shared from someone in the same district near Odalarevu appears to show trees bent almost to the ground. People fill temporary shelters as cyclone approaches coast Communities have gathered inside temporary shelters - including one set up inside a school - as Cyclone Arnab approaches the Andhra Pradesh coast in Kakinada. India's Meteorological Department warns of 'very severe' cyclonic storm India's Meteorological Department has warned coastal communities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha that the "very severe" cyclonic storm was only 260km (160 miles) southeast of the port city of Visakhapatnam - the most populous in Andhra Pradesh. Arnab is expected to move north-west and cross the coast by 11:30am local time (06:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The storm will bring sustained winds of 115-125km/h (71-78mph) and gusts of up to 140km/h (87mph). Cyclone Arnab to bring 78mph winds Cyclone Arnab is threatening India's eastern coast with winds of up to 78mph. Tens of thousands of people have been urged to evacuate ahead of its expected landfall on Wednesday.