Cyclone Arnab: 89,000 Moved From Kakinada Coast Before Landfall

About 89,000 people along the Kakinada coast in Andhra Pradesh have been moved to 101 relief camps as Cyclone Arnab, now a very severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal, closes in on the coast. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects it to cross between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by the forenoon of Wednesday, 28 October, and has kept a red alert in force for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Highest Danger Signal at Kakinada Port

At 11:30 am on Tuesday the storm was centred about 170 km south-east of Visakhapatnam and 180 km east-south-east of Kakinada, with sustained winds of 150–160 km/h gusting to 180 km/h, according to IMD figures reported by The Daily Pioneer. IMD expects it to weaken before landfall, with winds of about 125–135 km/h gusting to 150 km/h. Kakinada port has the highest signal, Great Danger Signal X; Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Bheemunipatnam are at IX. IMD has warned of a storm surge of 1–2 metres above the normal tide, highest near Kakinada and Yanam.

Trains Cancelled, Beaches Shut

More than 60 trains, mostly in the Godavari–Krishna delta, have been cancelled, and four flights were cancelled and four diverted at Visakhapatnam airport, The Gujarat Samachar reported. Visakhapatnam’s beaches are closed and fishing is suspended. In Visakhapatnam district, 10,176 households in 37 villages are at risk, and 54 relief camps can hold 31,405 people. Odisha plans to move about 48,000 more people from eight districts. Reports differ on how many National Disaster Response Force teams are on the ground, and no casualties had been reported in the sources checked.

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Landfall Expected by Wednesday Forenoon

Andhra Pradesh has released Rs 27 crore to 20 districts for relief, The News Minute reported. Fishermen have been told to stay out of the west-central Bay of Bengal and nearby waters from 27 to 29 October. Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast for eastern Telangana and southern Chhattisgarh on 28 October. Earlier IPB reports cover the forecast track, Odisha’s school closures and Andhra’s rescue teams.

Source: IMD cyclone bulletins (RSMC New Delhi). Also based on reporting by The Daily Pioneer, The News Minute and Gujarat Samachar.

Image: Odisha Tourism / The Daily Pioneer.