Cyclone Arnab set to hit Andhra coast as very severe storm, red alerts issued and mass evacuations underway

UPDATE - follow-up to Odisha, Andhra shut schools, ban fishing as Cyclone 'Arnab' nears; Centre stresses zero casualties | LIVE: Cyclone Arnab is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam on the forenoon of Oct 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm, with sustained winds of 115‑125 kmph and gusts up to 140 kmph. The India Meteorological Department has raised red alerts for seven districts in Andhra Pradesh and warned of isolated extremely heavy rain in coastal Andhra, Yanam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and east Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered round‑the‑clock vigilance, evacuation of flood‑prone areas and relocation of 4,711 pregnant women to safer health facilities. About 30,043 fishing boats have been brought back to harbours, and 15 National Disaster Response Force teams are on standby across vulnerable locations. The state released ₹27 crore for relief operations in 20 districts and set up toll‑free helplines 112, 1070 and 1800 425 0101. Odisha shut schools in six southern districts and is moving people from high‑risk zones. The cyclone, moving at 13 km per hour, is currently centred roughly 580‑830 km east of key Andhra ports. Heavy showers continue in Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiris, with some districts recording over 100 mm rainfall, but the main threat remains the impending landfall in Andhra. ## Context The storm’s projected path and intensity have forced both states to prioritize disaster preparedness, aiming for zero loss of life while mobilising financial and human resources ahead of the Oct 28 landfall.