Cyclone Arnab intensifies over Bay of Bengal; red alert issued for AP, Odisha
North Andhra and coastal districts brace for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on 27–28 October
IMD issues a red alert as Cyclone Arnab is forecast to bring winds up to 140 kmph by 28 October
North Andhra and coastal districts brace for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on 27–28 October
Chandrababu Naidu reviews preparedness as 10 NDRF and 11 SDRF teams are deployed.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a red alert for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining parts of Odisha after a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclone Arnab, warning of very heavy rainfall, powerful winds and possible disruption along the eastern coast.
In its bulletin issued on Monday morning, the IMD said the system had intensified into a cyclonic storm over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal. The weather department warned that the storm was likely to strengthen further and approach the Andhra Pradesh coast in the coming days.
The IMD issued a cyclone warning, classified as a red message, for the Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts.
According to the IMD, the system moved nearly westwards at a speed of around 15 kmph during the six hours preceding 5.30 am on 26 October, when it was centred over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal.
At that time, the storm was located approximately 590 km northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 610 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha and 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
It was also situated around 730 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 830 km east of Machilipatnam and 910 km east of Bapatla, all in Andhra Pradesh.
The weather department said the cyclone was very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by midnight on 26 October. It was then expected to strengthen further into a very severe cyclonic storm on 27 October.
The system was forecast to move northwestwards thereafter and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of 28 October.
At landfall, the cyclone was expected to bring maximum sustained winds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 140 kmph, according to the IMD forecast.
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) warned that the next three days would be extremely critical as the cyclone approached the coast.
APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain appealed to residents to follow safety precautions and remain alert to official advisories. Strong winds were expected to begin affecting coastal areas as early as the morning of 27 October.
The IMD forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall across North Andhra and the central coastal districts on 27 and 28 October, with isolated locations potentially receiving extremely heavy rainfall.
Districts likely to be affected include Kakinada, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Konaseema and East Godavari, along with other areas of North Andhra and the central coastal region.
The combination of intense rainfall and strong winds could disrupt normal life and affect transport, electricity supply and other essential services in vulnerable coastal areas.
Chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the state's preparedness on Sunday, focusing on the evacuation of people from vulnerable areas and arrangements for emergency relief.
The review covered the establishment of relief centres and the availability of food, drinking water, medical assistance and arrangements for restoring electricity in areas affected by the cyclone.
Naidu directed government departments to work in coordination to address the potential impact of Cyclone Arnab and ensure that precautionary and response measures were implemented effectively.
As part of the emergency response, 10 teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 11 teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are being deployed for relief and rescue operations.
With the cyclone forecast to intensify before making landfall, authorities are focusing on preparedness, public safety and the protection of vulnerable communities along the Andhra Pradesh coast.
Residents in potentially affected areas have been urged to follow official weather bulletins and instructions issued by local authorities as the situation develops.
With IANS inputs