Strong cyclone 'Arnav' approaches... India evacuation order, Sri Lanka school closure order

(Jakarta = Yonhap News) Correspondent Son Hyeon-gyu = As the landfall of a powerful cyclone (tropical depression) accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain is imminent, South Asian countries are on edge, with India ordering evacuations in areas expected to be affected and Sri Lanka ordering schools to close nationwide.

According to Reuters on the 27th (local time), the India Meteorological Department explained that Cyclone 'Arnav', which formed over the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean, has strengthened its strength since the previous day.

At the same time, Arnav is expected to land in the southern coastal state of Andhra Pradesh on the morning of the 28th, and strong winds and heavy rain are expected to fall in the eastern state of Odisha, which is close to this region.

Prakar Jain, head of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Agency, said that out of the 400,000 residents in vulnerable areas, about 50,000 had moved to evacuation centers by the night before, adding, "We are continuing to evacuate."

Although no evacuation order has been issued in Odisha state yet, schools and universities in five districts will be closed for two days from this day to the 28th.

Indian Railways canceled 12 trains in the eastern region and announced that train services on 53 routes along the southern coast would also be suspended until the 28th.

Sri Lanka also ordered all schools nationwide to close from today in preparation for Arnav's landing.

Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education explained, "This decision has been made to ensure the safety of students and staff under the current weather conditions."

In recent days, heavy rain has poured across Sri Lanka due to the indirect impact of Arnav, and flood and landslide warnings have been issued.

Nepal, another South Asian country, also warned tourists to refrain from visiting highlands, saying heavy rain or avalanches could occur in the Himalayan region due to Arnav.

On August 26 of this year, more than 1,400 people died and about 6,000 went missing in Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region, which share a border, due to a major flood that occurred in the upper reaches of the Himalayan mountain region.

Cyclones are tropical cyclones that occur in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific. They form in the Bay of Bengal every year around May and November, causing great damage to coastal areas of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

In 2007, Cyclone 'Sidr' struck Bangladesh, killing more than 3,000 people, and in 2008, Cyclone 'Nargis' caused 138,000 people to die or go missing in Myanmar.