Cyclone Arnab: Red Alert Issued for Several Odisha Districts
A severe weather threat is developing across southern Odisha as Cyclone Arnab moves close to the Andhra Pradesh coast. India Meteorological Department scientist Dr. Sanjeev Dwivedi has provided details of the storm's current status and likely impact on the state.
The cyclone, described as extremely severe, was nearly stationary in the west-central Bay of Bengal until 4:30 am on Wednesday. Its almost motionless position has prolonged the landfall process along the coast.
According to Dr. Dwivedi, the system was centred at 16.4 degrees north latitude and 82.0 degrees east longitude. It was around 30 km east of Narsapur, 45 km south-southwest of Yanam and 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada. Wind speeds remained between 120 and 130 km per hour, while gusts reached 145 km per hour.
The cyclone was earlier expected to drift gradually northwest and then bend north-northwest. Its prolonged stay near one location, however, has delayed the timing of landfall.
October 28 was seen as a critical day for southern Odisha. With the cyclone's effects spreading into the state, Malkangiri and Koraput were among the areas where weather was expected to worsen. A red warning has been issued for Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur, with some places likely to see very heavy rain and many others heavy to very heavy rain.
Dr. Dwivedi said that some parts of the region could experience winds of 60 to 70 km per hour, with gusts up to 80 km per hour. He warned of landslides and soil collapse in hilly regions, particularly Koraput district, and advised people living in thatched houses and other weak structures to take necessary precautions.
An orange warning covers other parts of southern Odisha. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack may also see rain and strong winds, especially in the morning and afternoon.
Residents of southern districts have been asked to follow official weather information and traffic advisories and to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather.
Arnab started to affect the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam early on Wednesday. Maximum wind speeds during this period were 125 to 135 km per hour, with gusts touching 150 km per hour, according to the IMD.