Cyclone Arnab Slams Andhra Coast: High-Speed Winds and Flood Alerts
Cyclone Arnab makes landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with winds up to 150 kmph, causing flooding and power outages.
The coastlines of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam are currently battling the fury of Cyclone Arnab landfall, which began early Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that the storm is bringing torrential rainfall and destructive winds to the region, with the landfall process expected to persist for several more hours.
Wind Intensity and Movement
According to the IMD, Cyclone Arnab is maintaining a core intensity of 125 to 135 kmph, with powerful gusts reaching up to 150 kmph. The storm has been moving northwestwards at a slow pace of 3 kmph over the last few hours. Forecasters expect the system to continue this slow northwestward movement initially before eventually shifting toward a north-northwest track.
The specific landfall point has been identified between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, situated to the south of Yanam. The weather department warns that surface winds will remain at peak intensity—between 125 and 135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph—for the next three hours before they begin to gradually diminish.
Widespread Destruction and Flooding
The impact of the cyclone has already been felt across several districts. In Kakinada, the powerful winds have snapped power lines and uprooted numerous trees. Similar scenes of chaos were reported in Visakhapatnam, where fallen trees have blocked major thoroughfares, including Seethammadhara and Beach Road.
Storm Surge Warning
The IMD has issued a critical major inundation alert. A storm surge, estimated to be 1.5 to 2.5 metres above the astronomical tide, is very likely to submerge low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh over the next 4 to 5 hours. The most severe surges are expected near Yanam in the Puducherry Union Territory and Kakinada.
Extreme Rainfall Records
The rainfall has been staggering in some regions. Between 08:30 hrs on October 27 and 03:00 hrs on October 28, extreme heavy rainfall exceeding 200 mm was recorded in the Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts. Interestingly, the influence of Cyclone Arnab has extended far beyond the landfall point, with heavy rain and gusty winds lashing parts of West Bengal.
Alerts for Odisha
The weather department has also placed Odisha on high alert with a tiered warning system:
- Severe Weather Warning: Extremely heavy rainfall is predicted for districts including Koraput, Nawarangpur, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Ganjam, and Gajapati. These areas may see lightning and gusts between 60 to 80 kmph, peaking at 90 kmph.
- Orange Warning: Heavy to very heavy rainfall and winds of 40 to 50 kmph (gusting to 60 kmph) are expected in Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Boudh, Sonepur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kandhamala, and Kalahandi.
- Yellow Warning: Heavy rain and gusts of 30 to 40 kmph (gusting to 50 kmph) are forecast for Cuttack, Jagatsinghapur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Angul, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, and Sundargarh.
These warnings for Odisha remain in effect from October 28 until 8:30 pm on October 29.