NEW DELHI: Cyclone Arnab, brewing over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm on October 27 and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast near Yanam early on October 28, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.
The system is likely to bring heavy to extremely heavy rainfall to coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on October 27 and 28, with isolated areas potentially receiving exceptionally heavy rain. Wind speeds are expected to reach 115-125 kmph, with gusts of up to 140 kmph during landfall.
Andhra coast braces for impact
At 8.30 am on October 26, the cyclone was centred over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. It had moved westwards at a speed of 15 kmph over the preceding six hours.
The system was located approximately 610 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 690 km east-southeast of Kakinada and 580 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha.
The IMD forecast that the system would intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday midnight before strengthening further into a very severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday. It is likely to cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, early on October 28.
Prakhar Jain, managing director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, described the next three days as crucial and urged residents, particularly those in coastal areas, to remain alert and follow official advisories.
Odisha steps up preparedness
Although the cyclone is expected to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh, the Odisha government has intensified precautionary measures in six vulnerable southern districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has assigned eight ministers to oversee preparedness. Authorities have deployed 24 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams and six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, along with fire and emergency services personnel and police.
Fishing has been prohibited, while access to hills, waterfalls, dams and tourist destinations in the six districts has been restricted. Schools, colleges and anganwadi centres will remain closed on October 28 and 29.
Officials are relocating residents of low-lying areas and houses with thatched roofs to safer shelters. Pregnant women are being shifted to healthcare facilities in advance, while special arrangements have been made for senior citizens, children and persons with disabilities.
Government employees’ leave has been cancelled in the affected districts, and control rooms have been established to coordinate relief and rescue operations. Farmers have been advised to harvest crops that are 80-85% mature and store them safely.
Tamil Nadu forecasts heavy rain
Meanwhile, strengthening northeast monsoon conditions are expected to bring heavy rain to parts of Tamil Nadu over the next three days.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast in isolated areas of Ariyalur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts. Several other districts, including Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, may also receive heavy rain.
Chennai is likely to experience moderate rainfall in some areas, while isolated parts of the state may witness thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph.
Three rain-related deaths reported
Three rain-related deaths were reported in Dindigul and Krishnagiri districts over the weekend.
In Oddanchatram in Dindigul district, six-year-old T. Ankesh, a Class I student from a Rajasthan-origin family working on an agricultural farm in Ammapatti, reportedly slipped into accumulated water near a canal and drowned on Sunday.
In another incident, 45-year-old daily-wage worker Muthusamy died after falling into a rainwater-filled pit near the Gandhi vegetable market in Thangachiyam Patti, Dindigul.
In Krishnagiri, a 45-year-old woman travelling as a pillion rider on a two-wheeler died of electrocution on Saturday night after a snapped electric wire fell on her.
As a precaution, the Dindigul district administration declared a holiday for schools on Monday. Five tourist spots under the Kodaikanal forest division have also been closed.
Authorities have urged residents in the affected regions to monitor official weather bulletins and follow safety instructions as the cyclone approaches the coast.
