Coastal Andhra Pradesh has about three days to get ready. A weather system that was still a deep depression far out in the Bay of Bengal on Sunday is expected to grow into a very severe cyclonic storm and reach the state’s coast on Wednesday, October 28.
Media reports are already calling it Cyclone Arnab. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), it is likely to make landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam around the forenoon of October 28, with sustained winds of 115-125 kmph gusting up to 140 kmph. Red alerts for extremely heavy rain are in place for several coastal districts on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has put the state administration on high alert.
Quick Facts
- What: Deep depression over the Bay of Bengal forecast to become a very severe cyclonic storm (widely reported as Cyclone Arnab)
- Where: Expected landfall on the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam
- When: Around the forenoon of Wednesday, October 28, per IMD
- Wind speed: 115-125 kmph sustained, gusting to 140 kmph
- Rain: Heavy to very heavy rain over coastal Andhra from October 27 to 29, with red alerts on October 27 and 28
- Who is responding: IMD, the Andhra Pradesh government and district administrations
Cyclone Arnab Track: Where the Storm Is Now
On Sunday, October 25, the system strengthened into a deep depression. IMD’s Amaravati centre placed it about 420 km north-northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, roughly 870 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 960 km from Kakinada, 1,060 km from Machilipatnam and 1,130 km east of Bapatla, as reported by Deccan Chronicle.
The forecast steps, as reported:
- Monday morning (Oct 26): likely to become a cyclonic storm over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal
- Tuesday morning (Oct 27): likely to become a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal
- Wednesday morning (Oct 28): likely to become a very severe cyclonic storm near the Andhra coast, then cross it
Officials have stressed that the track and intensity can still change. Cyclone forecasts get sharper as a storm gets closer, so the exact landfall point may shift along that Bapatla-Visakhapatnam stretch.
IMD Red Alert: Districts to Watch on October 27 and 28
IMD has issued colour-coded rain warnings for coastal Andhra. A red alert signals extremely heavy rain, and the weather office warned that such a downpour would likely disrupt normal life.
Tuesday, October 27
- Red: Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru and Yanam
- Orange: Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, NTR, Krishna, Guntur and Bapatla
- Yellow: Palnadu, Prakasam and Nellore
Wednesday, October 28
- Red: Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Krishna, Guntur and Yanam
- Orange: Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram and Bapatla
- Yellow: Palnadu, Prakasam and Nellore
That Wednesday list covers Visakhapatnam and the Vijayawada region (NTR district), so two of the state’s biggest urban centres fall under red alerts. Odisha has also been put on alert, according to several reports, though the main impact zone in the current forecast is coastal Andhra.
Andhra Pradesh Government Prepares for the Cyclone
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu held a review meeting with officials from 10 departments and district collectors and told them to work towards “zero casualties”, according to a report by M9 News. His instructions included:
- Bringing fishing boats safely back to shore and keeping fishermen off the sea
- Setting up control rooms in districts and issuing regular public warnings
- Issuing cyclone bulletins every four hours
- Keeping power restoration teams and equipment in place in advance
- Asking telecom operators to be ready to restore mobile networks quickly
- Using satellite data and forecasts to plan evacuations
The Hindu reported that people in low-lying areas from Bapatla to Vizianagaram are to be evacuated. Exact evacuation numbers and relief-camp details had not been announced in the reports we reviewed.
Why Is It Called Cyclone Arnab?
Cyclones in the north Indian Ocean get names from a shared list drawn up by member countries of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones, and a name is formally used only once a system becomes a cyclonic storm. Arnab, a name contributed by Bangladesh, is the next one due on that list. In IMD’s own classification, the system was still a deep depression on Sunday, so the name becomes official only when it is upgraded, which the forecast expects on Monday.
Late October is a familiar window for storms on this coast. Andhra Pradesh was hit by Cyclone Montha around the same dates last year, and the state’s coastline from Nellore up to Srikakulam has seen many such systems over the decades.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- The exact landfall point and time. These will be narrowed down in later IMD bulletins.
- Whether the storm reaches the full very severe intensity before it crosses the coast.
- How many people will be moved to relief shelters, and whether schools and offices will close.
- Possible disruption to trains, flights and power supply in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and nearby areas.
What This Means for You
If you live in coastal Andhra, or have family there, the next 48 hours are the time to prepare, not Wednesday morning. Some practical steps:
- Follow IMD bulletins and your district administration’s instructions, and move if officials ask you to.
- Charge phones and power banks, and keep a torch, drinking water, dry food and essential medicines ready.
- Keep documents such as Aadhaar, ration cards and insurance papers in a waterproof bag.
- Tie down or bring in loose items like tin sheets and flower pots that strong winds can throw around.
- Stay away from the beach, rivers and drains during the storm, and avoid touching fallen power lines.
- Planning to travel to or from Visakhapatnam, Kakinada or Vijayawada on October 27-29? Check with your airline or railway before you leave.
- Ignore unverified forwards on WhatsApp. Trust official sources for the storm’s track.
Official forecasts and warnings are available on the IMD website and the RSMC New Delhi cyclone page.
FAQs
When will Cyclone Arnab make landfall?
IMD expects it to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast around the forenoon of Wednesday, October 28. The timing may change as the storm gets closer.
Where will Cyclone Arnab hit?
The forecast landfall zone is between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam on the Andhra coast. Kakinada, Konaseema, the Godavari districts and Visakhapatnam are among the areas under red alerts.
How strong will Cyclone Arnab be?
IMD forecasts a very severe cyclonic storm with sustained winds of 115-125 kmph, gusting up to 140 kmph, at landfall.
Will Odisha be affected by Cyclone Arnab?
Odisha has been put on alert, according to news reports, but the current forecast places the main impact on coastal Andhra Pradesh. Residents should follow IMD’s Bhubaneswar updates.
Who named Cyclone Arnab?
The name Arnab was contributed by Bangladesh to the shared list used for north Indian Ocean cyclones. It is used once the system is upgraded to a cyclonic storm.
Based on reporting by Deccan Chronicle, M9 News, The Hindu and The Indian Express, citing the India Meteorological Department.
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