Severe cyclone heading for Andhra Pradesh coast as heavy rain lashes southern and eastern states

UPDATE - follow-up to Monsoon tracker LIVE: Depression over Bay of Bengal to intensify into cyclonic storm by October 26: A developing deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is moving toward the Andhra Pradesh coast and is set to strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm by October 28, 2026.

Impact and Warnings

Extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Coastal Andhra Pradesh on October 27 and 28, Odisha and Telangana on October 28, and Chhattisgarh on October 28 and 29. The storm is expected to cross between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with wind speeds reaching 115 to 125 kmph, gusting up to 140 kmph. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu has ordered a high alert, deploying 10 NDRF and 11 SDRF teams for relief and evacuation work, while power utilities have kept 25,000 poles on standby.

Regional Weather

Meanwhile, separate weather systems are bringing heavy rains to Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala, leading to school closures in Dindigul ordered by Collector Durga Moorthy, tourist bans at Yercaud Hills and Bheeman Falls by Tiruvannamalai Collector Vandhana Garg, and red alerts issued by the IMD for Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad. West Bengal is also bracing for heavy rain and squally winds from October 28 to 30, with fishermen warned to stay out of the sea.

Context

Tropical storms of this scale commonly form in the Bay of Bengal during the post-monsoon season, driven by warm sea temperatures and atmospheric moisture. These systems frequently trigger widespread disruptions to transport, power grids, and agriculture across eastern and southern coastal regions.