Cyclone Arnab: Andhra Readies 21 Rescue Teams, Moves Pregnant Women

Andhra Pradesh has stationed 10 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 11 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams along its coast and has begun moving high-risk pregnant women to hospitals, after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed preparations on Sunday evening for Cyclone Arnab. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the Bay of Bengal system, a deep depression about 870 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam on Sunday, to become a cyclonic storm on Monday morning and cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam around the forenoon of Wednesday, 28 October, with winds of 115–125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph.

Red Alerts From Kakinada to Guntur

For Tuesday, 27 October, IMD has a red alert for Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru and Yanam, Deccan Chronicle reported. On Wednesday the red alert widens to Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Kakinada, Konaseema, East and West Godavari, Eluru, NTR, Krishna, Guntur and Yanam, with Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram and Bapatla on orange. State projections put five-day rainfall at about 293 mm in Anakapalli, 281 mm in Alluri Sitharama Raju and 254 mm in Visakhapatnam, against a statewide average of about 95 mm.

Fishermen have been told not to go to sea and to tie up boats and nets. The State Disaster Management Authority has asked people to keep away from beaches, damaged buildings, hoardings and power poles. Emergency numbers are 112, 1070 and 1800-425-0101.

Also read Kolkata Rain on Oct 28-29 as Cyclone Arnab Passes; No Direct Hit

26,768 Expectant Mothers on a Watch List

Health Commissioner Chakradhar Babu has ordered government hospitals and primary health centres to run emergency services without a break from 27 to 30 October. Details of 26,768 women due to deliver between 23 October and 6 November have gone to district health officers, and women in low-lying areas or with high-risk pregnancies are being moved to hospitals in advance, The South First reported.

Landfall Window on Wednesday Forenoon

IMD expects the storm to become a severe cyclonic storm on 27 October and a very severe cyclonic storm by the morning of 28 October, with heavy rain in the north coastal districts continuing on 29 October. The state has not said how many people it plans to move to relief camps or how many camps are open. The forecast track is covered in our Cyclone Arnab landfall report; Odisha’s preparations are here.

Source: IMD weather warning. Also based on reporting by Deccan Chronicle, The South First and ETV Bharat.

Image: Deccan Chronicle (representative).