Cyclone Arnab Moves Toward Andhra Pradesh Coast as Odisha and Tamil Nadu Brace for Impact

UPDATE - follow-up to Deep depression intensifies into cyclonic storm 'Arnab'; rains continue in Tamil Nadu: The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into cyclonic storm Arnab on Monday, October 26, 2026, moving westwards at a speed of 15 kmph.

Impact and Movement

The storm lay centred 590 km northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 730 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 830 km east of Machilipatnam, and 910 km east of Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department warns that the system will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday midnight and into a very severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday, October 27. It is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by Wednesday, October 28 noon, bringing maximum wind speeds of 115 to 125 kmph and gusts up to 140 kmph.

Preparedness Measures

Odisha has stepped up its preparations by mobilising personnel and equipment, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi deploying eight ministers to vulnerable districts. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials on Sunday to maintain round-the-clock vigilance to prevent loss of life. In response, over 4,800 fishing boats returned safely to Kakinada fishing harbour and other landing centres like Uppada-Ameenabad and Kumbhabhishekam, following warnings from the Fisheries Department, Indian Coast Guard, and Kakinada district authorities, including District Fisheries Officer V. Krishna Rao, who confirmed the safe return of the boats by Monday.

Regional Rains

Meanwhile, rains continue to lash several parts of Tamil Nadu due to an active northeast monsoon, with the IMD forecasting more showers until October 27. The Highways Department in Chennai has kept 5,000 bags of cold mix ready to repair damaged roads, prioritising Major Mukund Varadarajan Road, while 43 out of 650 km of city roads have suffered damages from water stagnation and rain. Further south, heavy rain and landslides disrupted traffic on the Pachamalai ghat road, and Palakkad District Collector K. Sudheer declared a holiday for all educational institutions, including professional colleges and anganwadis, on Monday.

Context

Cyclonic storms in the Bay of Bengal are common during the post-monsoon season, often bringing heavy rainfall and destructive winds to India's eastern coastline. Authorities typically restrict marine activities and mobilise disaster response forces ahead of landfall to minimise casualties.