Cyclone Arnab destroyed over 100 boats at Odalarevu fishing village after making landfall. Families waded through neck-deep water to salvage their equipment as violent winds caused severe damage. Local residents said they were forced to spend hours searching for their destroyed boats. The total damage is estimated to exceed ₹3 crore.
Following the landfall of Cyclone Arnab, the coastal village of Odalarevu faced near the confluence point where the Vynateya branch of the Godavari River meets the Bay of Bengal faced severe devastation as violent winds and surging backwaters swept away and destroyed a large number of fishing boats anchored along the riverbanks.
Desperate recovery efforts
Fishermen and their families scrambled to recover their boats, engines and equipment from the water. Women joined the men in the recovery efforts. Wading through neck-deep water and harsh weather conditions, they spent hours cutting through the tangled fishing nets and pulling their boats out of the water as they tried to salvage whatever they could.
Of the approximately 300 boats anchored at the Odalarevu fish landing centre, over 100 were broken into pieces, while nearly 100 others were scattered along the riverbanks or submerged under water.
Individual families reported losing boats worth over ₹3 lakh each. Additionally, specialised nets used to catch prawn, pomfret (chanduva), and tuna were damaged beyond repair after becoming entangled in the wreckage.
Local residents said that instead of catching fish to earn a living, families were forced to spend hours searching for their destroyed boats from the water.
The cyclone’s impact was equally severe onshore. Dozens of coconut trees were uprooted across Odalarevu, blocking roads and snapping power lines, leaving the village without electricity. Local residents estimate the total damage to exceed ₹3 crore, and fear it could take up to a year for the fishing community to fully recover.