Cyclone Arnab forms; red alert for Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha, landfall due on 28 October
The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Storm “Arnab” at 5:30 am IST on 26 October, IMD said. Moving west-north-westwards at about 15 km/h, it is forecast to become a severe cyclonic storm by midnight and a very severe one the next day. IMD says it is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of 28 October, with sustained winds of 115โ125 km/h gusting to 140 km/h. A red alert covers coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and south Odisha.
WHAT IS KNOWN / WHAT IS NOT
โ IMD Official Directives:
Widespread rain forecast from 26 to 30 October; fishing and shipping strictly advised to stay out of Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. Storm centred near 15.4°N.
โ Large-Scale Preparations:
BusinessToday reports large-scale evacuations of coastal hutment dwellers have begun; NDRF & SDRF disaster-response teams deployed across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
โน Dynamic Variables:
Exact landfall pinpoint, precise storm-surge height, and localized rainfall amounts remain subject to IMD's rolling radar bulletins.