Bay cyclone system set to strike Andhra coast as states ramp up emergency steps

UPDATE - follow-up to Andhra braces for very severe cyclonic storm; Odisha Odisha activates disaster mitigation machinery | LIVE: A depression over the Bay of Bengal is heading toward the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, where it will likely turn into a very severe cyclonic storm before crossing land on the morning of October 28. The India Meteorological Department expects wind speeds of 115 to 125 kilometres per hour, gusting up to 140 kilometres per hour, near the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam.

State Action

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu instructed officials to keep fishermen from going out to sea, warn residents in low-lying zones, and set up toll-free numbers for help. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed state preparedness and set a target of zero casualties, while President Droupadi Murmu postponed a two-day Odisha visit originally planned for October 28. According to APSDMA Managing Director Prakhar Jain, residents must stay alert as the system develops. Meanwhile, nine ports in Tamil Nadu including Chennai, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore hoisted No. 1 cyclone warning cages.

Context

Severe cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal typically form during the post-monsoon season, driven by warm sea surface temperatures and atmospheric moisture. These weather systems regularly trigger heavy rainfall, strong winds, and storm surges along India's eastern seaboard, prompting extensive pre-disaster evacuations and port warnings.