A.P., Odisha on alert as cyclone ‘Arnab’ nears land

The Andhra Pradesh government has directed officials to evacuate people from flood-prone areas, prioritise vulnerable residents, and deploy disaster response teams in the wake of the cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has ordered heightened preparedness across the State, officials said, adding that 4,711 pregnant women will be shifted to safer healthcare facilities. They said 30,043 fishing boats have returned to the harbours.

Also read | Deep depression intensifies into Cyclonic Storm Arnab

With the cyclonic storm moving closer to land, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Amaravati, has issued red alerts for seven of the 28 districts in Andhra Pradesh for Tuesday (October 27, 2026). Isolated extremely heavy rainfall of 200 mm or more is likely in the districts of Kakinada, East Godavari, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru, West Godavari, Alluri Sitharama Raju, and Anakapalli, while heavy to very heavy rainfall of around 70 mm to 200 mm is likely in the districts of Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Srikakulam, and Parvathipuram Manyam on Tuesday (October 26).

The storm is likely to cross the coast as a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’, with wind speed gusting to 140 kmph, close to Yanam or Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh around noon on Wednesday (October 28).

The State has deputed seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and eight SDRF battalions to districts that are likely to be affected. The A.P. State Disaster Management Authority has cautioned the public that gales with speeds touching 110 kmph are likely over the coastal parts. Strong winds of up to 50 kmph are likely over Rayalaseema. For assistance, the public can contact 112, 1070, 18004250101, the government said.

The Andhra Pradesh Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited has opened 30 divisional control rooms, in addition to 11 circle-level control rooms, to monitor the situation and coordinate emergency response. Kakinada and East Godavari have three divisional control rooms each, while Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema has two.

1,700 shelters ready

In neighbouring Odisha, the government said over 1,700 shelters are ready to accommodate people likely to be evacuated in the southern districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Gajapati, and Rayagada, which will be impacted by the cyclone.

Addressing the media after a review meeting with Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan through a video conference, Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg said, “We have prepared district-specific plans to face emergency situation in view of the impending cyclone. We are monitoring the health condition of roughly 3,000 pregnant women. They will be shifted to safer place if the situation warrants.”

The Centre has assured to send additional disaster response forces and provide assistance of the Army and the Navy if the situation worsens, she said.

Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Pravakar Patil said the State has 135 permanent cyclone shelters in the vulnerable districts and 1,600 temporary shelters have been made available.

Eight NDRF teams, 40 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams, and fire services personnel have been deployed across districts.

“We are in constant touch with the Chhattisgarh government. When the cyclone curves away to Chhattisgarh, it will trigger heavy rain. This will send the Mahanadi River in spate. Since we are around the full moon day, discharge of water to the sea would not be that easy. We need to keep the plan ready for water discharge,” said Suresh Pujari, State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister.

‘Very severe cyclonic storm’

On Monday, the cyclonic storm lay centered over west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal, about 520 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 540 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 620 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 720 km east-southeast of Machilipatnam, 790 km east-southeast of Bapatla, and 680 km northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman islands.

The IMD said it will move west-northwestwards, intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over west-central Bay of Bengal by Monday evening, and further strengthen to form a “very severe cyclonic storm” by Tuesday. Thereafter, the system, moving northwestwards, will cross the coast close to Yanam as a “very severe cyclonic storm”.