Cyclone Arnab to cross Andhra coast on Oct 28, over 89000 people evacuated

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) on Tuesday, October 27 announced that the impact of Cyclone Arnab has commenced with heavy rains expected shortly in north Andhra districts. 

A red alert has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for Eluru, NTR, Krishna, Konaseema, Kakinada, East Godavari, West Godavari, Guntur, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts.

The IMD said in its October 26 bulletin that Arnab had intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and was likely to strengthen further into a very severe cyclonic storm. It is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by the forenoon of October 28.

As of 3.30 am on October 27, the storm was located 300 km from Visakhapatnam, 360 km from Kakinada and 530 km from Bapatla, moving at 25 kmph. The IMD has forecast sustained wind speeds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching 140 kmph.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led Andhra Pradesh government has stepped up preparations for Cyclone Arnab, with nearly 89,000 people being evacuated from six coastal belts to 101 relief camps ahead of the storm’s expected landfall on Wednesday, October 28.

Authorities have evacuated all 130 residents of Hope Island, off the Kakinada coast, and relocated them to Kakinada city. Fisherfolk in Kakinada Rural, Uppada, Kothapalli and Thondangi have been advised to move to safer locations, with relief camps being equipped with food and drinking water.

The state government has released Rs 27 crore to 20 districts for relief and response operations. Seven districts — Bapatla, Krishna, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Kakinada and Anakapalli — have received Rs 2 crore each. Another 13 districts have been sanctioned Rs 1 crore each.

Fifteen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed at vulnerable locations in the state, while additional teams remain on standby nationally. Visakhapatnam authorities have mobilised rescue personnel and alerted the Navy and Coast Guard. The Energy Department has stocked 25,000 electric poles and other essential materials to address potential power disruptions.

At least 53 trains have been cancelled on October 27 and 28 as a precautionary measure. The cancellations affect services connecting Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Machilipatnam, Narasapur, Bhimavaram, Kakinada Port, Guntur and Visakhapatnam, with some services suspended on both days and others on either date.

The Union government has also placed Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry on alert as the cyclone approaches the eastern coast.