Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday inspected areas affected by Cyclone Arnab as the state government put the preliminary damage estimate at Rs. 4,600 crore. The figure could increase following a detailed assessment of losses caused by the cyclone and associated rainfall.

Seven people have died in cyclone-related incidents across Andhra Pradesh, according to the report. The state government is carrying out relief and restoration work in affected districts while preparing to assess the extent of damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

Naidu conducted aerial and ground surveys across Krishna, West Godavari and Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema districts. His inspection covered flooded paddy fields, damaged banana plantations, uprooted coconut trees and affected aquaculture ponds.

The aerial survey included areas such as Nimmakuru, Pamarru, Bantumilli, Narasapuram, Palakollu, Amalapuram and Katrenikona.

At Vetlapalem, the Chief Minister met affected farmers and inspected waterlogged agricultural fields and damaged coconut trees. Farmers told him that paddy crops due for harvesting in approximately 15 days had suffered extensive damage, raising concerns about reduced yields.

Central teams to assess cyclone damage

Addressing the media at Gachakayalapora village in the Mummidivaram constituency, Naidu said the preliminary estimate of damage from Cyclone Arnab stood at Rs. 4,600 crore. He cautioned that the amount could rise once a comprehensive assessment was completed.

Central assessment teams are scheduled to visit affected areas on October 30. Naidu said he had spoken to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the situation and submitted a preliminary damage report to the Centre.

The assessment is expected to help establish the extent of losses across affected areas as the state continues its response to the cyclone.

Compensation and relief measures announced

The state government has announced compensation for damage to agricultural and horticultural crops. The assistance will be transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts after the damage assessment is completed.

Farmers whose coconut and oil palm trees have been damaged will receive Rs. 1,500 per tree, according to the announced measures.

People returning from relief camps will also receive 25 kg of rice, a package of essential commodities and financial assistance.

The government is working to restore electricity and telecommunications services, remove fallen trees and protect irrigation infrastructure. In Konaseema, around 8,000 electricity poles have fallen, adding to the challenges facing restoration teams.

Andhra Pradesh has sought 1,000 personnel from Telangana to speed up electricity restoration. The state may also seek additional assistance from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Farmers and infrastructure among the worst affected

The Chief Minister’s inspections highlighted the impact on agricultural fields, plantations and aquaculture facilities. Waterlogging and damage to crops have created concerns for farmers, particularly those whose paddy harvests were approaching.

The government has also prioritised the restoration of essential services and the clearance of damaged infrastructure in cyclone-hit areas.

Naidu said precautionary measures had been taken based on experience from previous cyclones to reduce the loss of life and property. However, he acknowledged that seven people had died despite these efforts.

Officials have been monitoring the situation across areas extending from Srikakulam to Krishna district.

The Chief Minister assured farmers that crop losses would be assessed promptly and compensation would be released to eligible beneficiaries. He also said the Centre was extending support to Andhra Pradesh as it dealt with the cyclone’s impact and existing financial constraints.

The preliminary damage estimate remains subject to revision as assessment teams examine the affected areas.

Congress has retained the Nagpur graduates’ constituency in Maharashtra’s Legislative Council elections, with sitting MLC Abhijit Wanjari defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Sudhakar Kohale by 3,271 votes. The result also gave the Congress an opportunity to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over their earlier remarks about the party’s performance in the polls.

Wanjari secured 67,231 votes against Kohale’s 63,960, retaining the seat after a closely contested election. The counting process, which began on Tuesday morning, continued for more than 40 hours before the result was finalised in the early hours of Thursday.

The Nagpur constituency carries political significance as the city is home to the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is also the home turf of Fadnavis and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

How Congress turned the contest around in Nagpur

The contest remained tight during the initial counting rounds. Kohale was ahead after the second round, with 60,924 first-preference votes against Wanjari’s 56,630. Independent candidate Nitesh Karale had received 24,249 votes at that stage.

As no candidate secured the required quota to win outright, the counting proceeded to second-preference votes. Wanjari eventually moved ahead and secured victory by a margin of 3,271 votes.

The outcome allowed Congress to retain the constituency, which Wanjari had also won in the previous election.

Congress targets Modi and Fadnavis over social media posts

Congress leaders used the Nagpur result to respond to earlier social media remarks by Modi and Fadnavis suggesting that the party had failed to win any seats.

Fadnavis had posted that Congress had received a “big fat zero” in the elections. The Maharashtra Congress unit subsequently shared a screenshot of the deleted post and criticised the chief minister for commenting before all results had been finalised.

The state Congress unit also took a dig at Fadnavis over the deletion of his post. Party leaders argued that the final outcome in Nagpur contradicted the earlier claim about Congress drawing a blank.

Modi had also mocked Congress over its expected performance in the elections. Following Wanjari’s victory, Congress leaders said the result had overturned that narrative.

The political exchanges came against the backdrop of a closely fought contest in Nagpur, where BJP leaders had campaigned for Kohale.

Maha Vikas Aghadi wins three of five MLC seats

The Nagpur result was part of elections to five Maharashtra Legislative Council constituencies held on October 23. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won three seats, while the ruling Mahayuti alliance secured two.

The results were as follows:

• Pune graduates’ constituency: Harshada Deshmukh-Jadhav of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) won.
• Pune teachers’ constituency: BJP candidate Kaustubh Gawade won.
• Nagpur graduates’ constituency: Congress candidate Abhijit Wanjari retained the seat.
• Amravati teachers’ constituency: Kiran Sarnaik of the Shiv Sena won.
• Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar graduates’ constituency: NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidate Dr Pratap Sinh Patil won.

The results gave the opposition alliance three of the five seats, while the BJP and Shiv Sena, both part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, secured one seat each.

Wanjari’s victory was particularly notable because of Nagpur’s political importance to the BJP. However, the result concerned the graduates’ constituency and should not be interpreted as a verdict on the entire state or a prediction of future election outcomes.

Several parts of India are expected to experience changing weather conditions on Thursday, October 29, as Cyclone Arnab and associated weather systems influence rainfall across different regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast rain in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Delhi-NCR is also likely to experience rain accompanied by thunderstorms, along with a fall in temperatures. Meanwhile, parts of eastern India are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, making the latest weather forecast important for residents and commuters.

According to the report, rainfall alerts cover several regions across eastern, central, northern and southern India. The intensity and timing of rainfall are expected to vary from one state to another.

Delhi-NCR weather forecast for October 29

Delhi and the National Capital Region are expected to see a change in weather, with rain and thunderstorms forecast over the coming days. Temperatures are also likely to fall, bringing cooler conditions during the morning and evening.

The report puts Delhi’s maximum temperature for October 29 at around 26 degrees Celsius and the minimum at approximately 17 degrees Celsius. Rain is also forecast for October 30, when temperatures could remain around 26 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Air quality remains another concern in the capital. The report cited Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) readings showing elevated AQI levels at several monitoring stations, including Patparganj at 291, Sirifort at 290 and Pusa at 285. These readings indicate poor to very poor air quality across the reported locations.

Uttar Pradesh may see rain, thunderstorms

Uttar Pradesh is among the states expected to experience unsettled weather on October 29. The forecast indicates the possibility of heavy rainfall in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds.

Wind speeds of 40-50 kmph are mentioned in the report for affected areas. Western Uttar Pradesh may also experience rainfall and thunderstorms, although conditions may differ across districts.

Residents should follow local weather alerts, particularly where thunderstorms, lightning or strong winds are forecast.

Bihar weather update

Bihar is expected to receive widespread rainfall between October 29 and October 31, according to the report. Heavy rain is possible at isolated locations on Thursday, with thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds also forecast.

The intensity of rainfall may vary across the state. Residents should keep track of official weather advisories as conditions develop.

West Bengal rainfall forecast

Parts of West Bengal may continue to experience heavy rainfall under the influence of Cyclone Arnab.

The report identifies East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia among the districts where heavy rain is possible until Friday morning. Heavy rainfall is also forecast in the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar until Saturday morning.

These are forecasts, and the actual distribution and intensity of rainfall may vary by location.

Odisha under heavy rainfall alerts

Odisha is among the states facing significant rainfall concerns associated with Cyclone Arnab. The report identifies Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur as districts receiving particular attention from the authorities.

The report also describes preparations to move people from low-lying and landslide-prone areas to relief camps. It states that schools and anganwadi centres in 16 of the state’s 30 districts were scheduled to remain closed on October 29.

An IMD red alert for extremely heavy rainfall is reported for Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam, with winds of 50-70 kmph also forecast in affected areas.

Jharkhand issues school closures amid rain

Rainfall linked to Cyclone Arnab has also affected Jharkhand. According to the report, authorities in West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega ordered schools to remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.

The IMD has issued rainfall alerts for several districts, including Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega, Gumla, Lohardaga, Seraikela-Kharsawan, East Singhbhum and West Singhbhum.

The report also identifies orange alerts for districts including Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Simdega and West Singhbhum. Residents should consult local administration updates for district-specific instructions.

State-wise weather forecast for October 29

The NDTV report provides the following broad outlook for rainfall across India:

These categories reflect the broad forecast summarised in the report. They should not be interpreted as uniform conditions across every district within each state.

What residents should keep in mind

People in areas forecast to receive heavy rain should monitor official IMD bulletins and local administration advisories. During thunderstorms, it is advisable to avoid exposed locations and take shelter in a safe building. Residents in low-lying or landslide-prone areas should follow evacuation instructions issued by local authorities.

For Delhi-NCR, changing weather does not automatically mean that air pollution will improve everywhere. Residents should check current local AQI readings rather than relying on rainfall forecasts alone.