Cyclone Arnab nears Andhra coast as Kakinada port hoists highest danger signal

UPDATE - follow-up to Cyclone 'Arnab' LIVE updates | Storm 170 km from Visakhapatnam; landfall near Yanam; Nepal on high alert: Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab was located 140 km from Kakinada and 170 km from Visakhapatnam, moving toward a predicted landfall near Yanam by Wednesday forenoon. The India Meteorological Department warns of sustained winds reaching 125 to 135 kmph with gusts up to 150 kmph, alongside a 1 to 2 metre storm surge.

Evacuations and Safety Measures

Authorities have moved nearly 89,000 people on the Kakinada coast to 101 relief camps, while Odisha plans to relocate 48,000 residents. Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority Managing Director Prakhar Jain stated that cyclone alerts are reaching 2.70 crore mobile phones across 18 districts. In Visakhapatnam, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg noted that 122 low-lying areas are being evacuated to 57 relief centres, and all city beaches remain closed.

Infrastructure and Transport Impact

At least 72 trains have been cancelled, and multiple flights at Visakhapatnam airport have been cancelled or diverted. Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has deployed 20 rapid response teams with heavy equipment like JCBs and cranes. Meanwhile, the IMD has hoisted Great Danger Signal No. X at Kakinada port and Signal No. IX at Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, and Bheemunipatnam ports.

Regional Spread and Rainfall

Visakhapatnam recorded over 100 mm of rain at several places, with the 16th Police Battalion campus logging about 122 mm. Heavy downpours are also affecting parts of Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, while Nepal remains on high alert from October 29 to 31. Odisha has deployed 60 ODRAF teams and placed police in seven districts on high alert.

Context

Tropical cyclones frequently form in the Bay of Bengal during the post-monsoon season, often bringing destructive winds, heavy storm surges, and widespread flooding to India's eastern coastline. Disaster management authorities coordinate large-scale evacuations and preposition rescue teams to minimize loss of life ahead of severe landfalls.