Very severe Cyclone Arnab is bearing down on India's eastern coast, expected to make landfall Wednesday morning (Oct. 28) between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, with sustained winds of 115–135 km/h gusting to 140–150 km/h. More than 12 million people live in its projected path. Around 89,000 people on the Kakinada coast are being moved to 101 relief camps, nearly 50,000 were already evacuated in Andhra Pradesh by Monday night, and Odisha is evacuating 48,000 more. At least 72 trains were cancelled, four flights were grounded at Visakhapatnam airport, and beaches were closed. Nepal has issued a high alert for Oct. 29–31 due to heavy rain and avalanche risk.
The storm formed and intensified rapidly over the Bay of Bengal — one of the world's chief breeding grounds for tropical cyclones — which frequently deliver devastating storms to India's eastern coastal states during this season.
India is evacuating tens of thousands of people along its eastern coast as very severe Cyclone Arnab approaches. Nearly 50,000 people were moved to shelters in Andhra Pradesh by Monday night, out of an estimated 400,000 needing evacuation, and Odisha has announced plans to move 48,000 people in eight districts. Landfall is expected Wednesday between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with sustained winds of 115–125 km/h gusting to 140 km/h.
Reuters reported that Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico told an El Paso rally that Elon Musk was trying to buy the Senate seat for Republican Ken Paxton, saying "Texas is not for sale" eight days before the November 3 election. Separately, researchers have identified a Russian disinformation campaign (Storm-1516) that used an AI-generated video falsely accusing Talarico of misconduct.
British prosecutors have charged two men under the National Security Act in connection with a September incident at RAF Fairford, a Royal Air Force base in England used by the U.S. Reuters separately reported the men are accused of helping Iran.
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BGood morning, it's Tuesday. Brian, what's the biggest thing moving this morning?
BCyclone Arnab in the Bay of Bengal, and it's getting serious fast.
BIndia is evacuating tens of thousands along its eastern coast. Landfall is expected Wednesday morning between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam.
BSustained winds of 115 to 135 kilometers per hour, gusts up to 150. More than twelve million people are in its path.
BAndhra Pradesh moved nearly fifty thousand people to shelters by Monday night. Officials say the full evacuation target is four hundred thousand.
BOdisha is moving another forty-eight thousand in eight districts, and over eighty-nine thousand are being evacuated along the Kakinada coast alone.
BThey've cancelled seventy-two trains, grounded four flights at Visakhapatnam, and closed the beaches.
BNepal is on high alert for the end of the week, worried about heavy rain and avalanche risk in the mountains.
BThe storm formed and intensified quickly over the Bay of Bengal, which is exactly the kind of place that produces these monsters this time of year.
BOne official from Andhra Pradesh told Reuters the evacuation of four hundred thousand at-risk residents is still ongoing.
BOdisha's relief commissioner says they've deployed forty-eight disaster response teams, eight national teams, and over two hundred fire units.
BThat's a huge mobilization, and it's happening before sunrise on a Tuesday.
BThe storm's track takes it near Yanam, right where Andhra Pradesh and the Bay meet. That's low-lying, densely populated ground.
BAnd landfall at 135 kilometers an hour could mean roofs off, trees down, and power out for days.
BThat's why they're moving people now, not after it hits.
BNow to Texas, where eight days before the election, the Senate race is getting personal.
BReuters reports Democratic candidate James Talarico told an El Paso rally that Elon Musk is trying to buy the seat for Republican Ken Paxton.
BTalarico's exact words: "Texas is not for sale."
BThat's a campaign accusation, not evidence. But it tells you Musk has become the issue in this race.
BTalarico is a state representative running for Senate. Paxton is the attorney general and the Republican nominee. It's a real fight.
BEight days out, and the Democrat is using Musk as the boogeyman. Whether that works, we'll know soon.
BYou can't dismiss it entirely, Brian. Musk is a major political spender, so the claim gets attention.
BFair point. But accusing someone of buying a seat is a serious charge, and so far it's just a rally line.
BReuters didn't say there's proof. They reported what Talarico said.
BNow to the UK, where two men have been charged under the National Security Act over an incident at an American-used airbase.
BAl Jazeera reports the charges follow an incident in September at RAF Fairford, an airbase in England used by the U.S.
BReuters separately says the men are accused of helping Iran.
BThat's a significant development. RAF Fairford hosts American assets, and any foreign interference is taken extremely seriously.
BProsecutors haven't released details on what exactly happened in September. The National Security Act charges could point to espionage or sabotage, but that's not confirmed.
BWe'll keep an eye on that. It's a story with real implications for U.S.-UK-Iran relations.
BThat's where things stand at six a.m. We'll have more as the day develops.