A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has developed into a cyclonic storm, prompting high alerts across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as authorities prepare for severe weather and potential landfall by October 28.

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has developed into a cyclonic storm, prompting high alerts across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as authorities prepare for severe weather and potential landfall by October 28.

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has developed into a cyclonic storm, prompting high alerts across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as authorities prepare for severe weather and potential landfall by October 28.

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has developed into a cyclonic storm and is expected to make landfall on the Andhra coast on the morning of October 28.

The Indian Meteorological Department has forecast that the system will intensify into a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on October 26.

Cyclone Arnab is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds and gusts reaching up to 115–125 kmph.

Wind speeds could reach 100 to 125 kmph on October 27 before it touches the Andhra coast, between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, on Wednesday morning.

The wind speeds may then increase to 140 kmph in gusts or squalls as it makes landfall, IMD said.

The storm may weaken as it moves further, the weather department said.

According to the meteorological department, the cyclone has moved at a speed of 15 km per hour in the last 6 hours. It is currently centred 650 k from Visakhapatnam, 730 km from Kakinada, 830 km from Machilipatnam and 900 km from Bapatla.

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are on high alert.

In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu directed officials to issue cyclone bulletins every four hours to keep the administration and public informed about the changes in the storm's movement and intensity.

The state government has ​identified 570,000 people ​as vulnerable, ⁠and evacuations are to start on Monday evening. Officials have been asked to shift pregnant women out of hospitals over the coming week in advance.

The state’s chief secretary of energy had also directed power utilities to implement emergency preparedness measures on a war footing.

In the wake of Cyclone Arnab, the Odisha government has cancelled the holidays of all agriculture officials and issued a high alert from October 25 to November 7.

Schools and colleges have been closed in some districts for Tuesday and Wednesday. Residents in low-lying areas have been asked to move to cyclone shelters.

The administration is trying to minimise crop damage and provide timely assistance to farmers. The Odisha Rapid Disaster Action Force has deployed 20 teams and started working on disaster preparedness on the ground now. Officials are laying out a three-phase plan for the incoming cyclone.

District Cautionary Signal no 1 has been hoisted at all ports in Odisha as sea conditions remain very rough.

In West Bengal, there is a possibility of rain from Tuesday. Heavy rain may occur in coastal districts from Wednesday. The winds can gust upto 55 kmph from October 27 to 29. Monday morning, however, is forecast to be sunny and dry in South Bengal, including Kolkata.

The effect of the cyclone will also be felt in other states after it makes landfall on October 28. Rainfall and cloudy skies can be expected in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The IMD also issued a warning for Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Cyclone Arnab was named by Bangladesh and is included in the official list of tropical cyclone names adopted in April 2020 by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones.

TAGS