Cyclone Arnab: Odisha on High Alert with 313 Response Teams and 2,000+ Shelters
Odisha braces for Cyclone Arnab with 313 response teams and 2,000+ shelters as the storm moves from Andhra Pradesh toward southern districts.
As Cyclone Arnab continues its landfall process along the Andhra Pradesh coast, the state of Odisha has shifted into high gear to protect its citizens. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced that the state has deployed 313 response teams and activated 2,037 shelters to handle the expected influx of heavy rainfall and powerful winds as the storm tracks toward southern districts.
Strategic Deployment and Safety Measures
During a critical review meeting at the State Emergency Operation Centre in Bhubaneswar, Minister Suresh Pujari detailed the massive mobilization effort aimed at ensuring "zero casualties." The response force is a coordinated effort involving multiple agencies:
- 60 teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF).
- 9 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
- 244 teams from fire and emergency services.
Beyond personnel, the state has prioritized the most vulnerable. High-risk pregnant women have already been shifted to safer locations, and a strict mandate ensured that all fishing boats returned to shore before the weather deteriorated. To prevent accidents during potential landslides, authorities have preemptively blocked certain roads.
Tracking the Storm's Path
According to Minister Pujari, the landfall began around 1:30 a.m. at Kakinada and moved into Andhra Pradesh. While the system appeared stationary for a period, it is expected to shift north and northwest, eventually reaching Malkangiri in Odisha.
Sanjeev Dwivedi, a Senior Scientist with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), provided technical insights into the storm's intensity. He noted that the cyclone's center recorded wind speeds between 120 and 130 kmph, with gusts peaking at 145 kmph. These intense winds were expected to persist for a few hours before gradually weakening.
Landfall Specifics and Future Movement
The IMD identified the exact landfall point as being between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, just south of Yanam. The trajectory suggests the system will move slowly northwest, then transition to a north-northwestward path. As it travels inland, it is slated to move toward Chhattisgarh and then approach the Odisha region.
Warning for Southern Odisha
The IMD has issued a stern warning for southern districts of Odisha, predicting extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations. The areas under high alert include:
- Ganjam
- Gajapati
- Rayagada
- Nabarangpur
- Koraput
- Malkangiri
Residents in these regions should expect scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by strong winds. Even before the storm's direct approach, the effects were felt along the coast, with the Bay of Bengal off the Puri coast experiencing high waves and rough sea conditions.
"Achieving zero casualties is our primary motto," stated Minister Suresh Pujari, confirming that no casualties or significant inconveniences have been reported thus far.