Heavy Rain and Gusty Winds Batter Andhra Pradesh Coastline

Heavy rain and strong gusts swept across the Andhra Pradesh coastline on Wednesday as Cyclone Arnab approached land. Konaseema/Amaravati, October 28: The cyclone, classified as a very severe cyclonic storm, was in the process of making landfall on the state's coast in the morning hours.

Wind speeds during the landfall phase ranged from 115 to 125 kilometres per hour, and gusts climbed as high as 140 kilometres per hour, according to the India Meteorological Department. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority reported that the landfall process had been paused for two hours and was likely to be completed by the afternoon.

The weather agency's 6:30 AM bulletin on Wednesday placed the cyclone at 5:30 AM almost stationary in the west-central Bay of Bengal, close to the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Yanam. Its centre lay near 16.4 degrees North latitude and 82.0 degrees East longitude.

The cyclone's position was described relative to several towns. It was about 30 kilometres east of Narsapur, 45 kilometres south-southwest of Yanam, 70 kilometres south-southwest of Kakinada, 90 kilometres east-northeast of Machilipatnam and 120 kilometres south-southwest of Tuni.

Rainfall across the region was significant. Waltair station in Visakhapatnam recorded 217 millimetres, while Kalingapatnam received 147 millimetres, Tuni 123 millimetres and Kakinada 118 millimetres. Franchepet station in Machilipatnam logged 115 millimetres. Gopalpur and Puri recorded 94 millimetres and 72 millimetres respectively.

Officials said that strong winds were being felt in West Godavari, Dr B R Ambedkar Konaseema, Kakinada and the Yanam region of Puducherry.

The weather department has cautioned that sea levels in the low-lying coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh may rise 1 to 1.5 metres above normal tide levels in the next few hours, raising the risk of seawater entering these areas. After landfall, wind speeds are expected to gradually decrease.

Prakhar Jain, Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority, has appealed to residents to remain alert and take necessary precautions on Wednesday. Authorities have asked people in coastal and low-lying regions to follow official warnings and safety directions.

People have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from beaches and comply with administration instructions. The threat of strong winds, heavy rain and waterlogging may persist until the landfall is complete.