States on high alert as Cyclone Arnab approaches eastern coast

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclonic storm 'Arnab' to cross Andhra Pradesh-Yanam coast as very severe storm by October 28: IMD | LIVE: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh have closed schools, stopped all sea fishing, and kept rescue teams ready as Cyclone Arnab moves closer to the coast. The Centre and state authorities are aiming for zero loss of life. In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered round-the-clock watch and directed officials to move people away from flood-prone areas. As part of these safety steps, 4,711 pregnant women are being shifted to safer medical facilities, and 30,043 fishing boats have returned to harbours.

Current Position

The India Meteorological Department reported that a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has grown into cyclonic storm 'Arnab'. Moving at 13 kilometres per hour, the storm is expected to turn into a very severe storm and cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Bapatla by October 28 morning. Red alerts are in place for seven districts in Andhra Pradesh. The storm is currently tracked at various distances from coastal towns, including 540 km from Visakhapatnam, 620 km from Kakinada, 720 km from Machilipatnam, and 790 km from Bapatla. Odisha has stepped up preparations by moving staff and equipment, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sending eight ministers to vulnerable districts.

Rainfall and Warnings

The weather department has warned of extremely heavy rainfall in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on October 27 and 28, Odisha on October 28, Chhattisgarh on October 28 and 29, and east Uttar Pradesh on October 29. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam will face wind speeds of 80 to 90 kmph on Tuesday and Wednesday. Telangana might see winds up to 50 to 60 kmph on Wednesday. Meanwhile, heavy rains have also affected Tamil Nadu, where parts of Ramanathapuram district recorded over 100 mm of rain, and The Nilgiris district faced seven new landslips and uprooted trees due to heavy downpours. In Kodaikanal, continuous rain flooded over 20 houses and prompted a red alert.

Context

Tropical cyclones frequently form in the Bay of Bengal during the post-monsoon season, often bringing destructive winds and heavy rains to eastern coastal states. State governments use pre-emptive measures like school closures and mandatory boat recalls to prevent casualties during severe weather events.