A depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to strengthen into Cyclone Arnab and hit the Andhra Pradesh coast around October 28, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday, Mint reported.
When and where
The IMD said the system will become a deep depression, then a cyclonic storm, and a severe cyclonic storm by the morning of Tuesday, October 27. It is expected to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra coast by the morning of October 28.
Landfall is expected between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, with sustained winds of 115–125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the IMD had told the state to expect landfall on the afternoon of October 28, somewhere between northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha.
Rain forecast for Andhra Pradesh
- October 26–28: thunderstorms with lightning at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Rayalaseema.
- October 27 and 28: scattered heavy to very heavy rain, with extremely heavy rain at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.
- October 29: heavy rain in parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.
IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty said Odisha is also likely to see rain and strong winds.
States prepare
Odisha has assigned specific responsibilities to each department. "Our primary objective remains the same: zero casualties," Majhi said. In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the situation and told officials to alert people in low-lying areas.