Winds of up to 140 kmph forecast as Andhra and Odisha move people to safety, 53 trains are cancelled and alerts extend to Uttar Pradesh
Visakhapatnam, October 26: Cyclone Arnab strengthened into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on Monday evening. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects it to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm within 12 hours.
According to the IMD, the storm is moving west-northwest at about 17 kmph. It is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by the forenoon of October 28. Sustained winds of 115-125 kmph, with gusts of up to 140 kmph, are expected. Red alerts are in place for parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on October 28 and 29.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to aim for zero casualties. Seven NDRF and eight SDRF teams are being deployed across 11 districts, and ₹27 crore has been released to 20 districts for relief work. Officials plan to move 4,711 pregnant women to health facilities, and all 30,043 fishing boats at sea have returned to harbour. Harvested paddy is being moved to safety, and horticulture crops across 1.8 lakh hectares are being protected.
In Odisha, heavy to extremely heavy rain is forecast from Tuesday evening in Puri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada and Koraput. Schools are shut in six districts and tourists have been barred from vulnerable spots.
South Coast Railway has listed 53 trains for cancellation on October 27-28. Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan reviewed preparations at a National Crisis Management Committee meeting.
The storm’s reach will extend far inland. Uttar Pradesh is under an orange alert for October 29-30, with unseasonal rain, winds of 40-50 kmph and a drop in daytime temperatures of 5-8°C expected.
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