Odisha Cyclone Arnab: Schools Shut in 5 Districts on Oct 28-29

Updated 7:10 PM IST, 25 October 2026: Distant Cautionary Signal No. 1 has been hoisted at all Odisha ports, and fishermen are now told not to go to sea until 29 October, ANI reported on Sunday evening. Manorama Mohanty, Director of IMD’s Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, said the system is expected to become a deep depression on Sunday, a cyclonic storm by Monday morning and a very severe cyclonic storm near the Andhra coast by the morning of 28 October, with rain the bigger worry for Odisha: “the rainfall impact will be more significant,” she said. Heavy to very heavy rain is also forecast on 28 October for Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Bargarh and Nuapada, with the rain easing from 30 October. Chief Fire Officer Ramesh Majhi said leave has been cancelled for all fire personnel and 225 teams with 1,510 chainsaws, 25 rescue tenders and 225 tower lights are being deployed.

Schools, colleges and anganwadi centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri will stay shut on 28 and 29 October, and every district Collector in Odisha has been told to return to headquarters, the state government said on Saturday, 24 October. The orders follow a review by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of preparations for the Bay of Bengal system that IMD expects to become Cyclone Arnab on 26 October and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on 28 October.

Red Warning for Five Southern Districts

IMD’s Bhubaneswar centre has a red warning for heavy to very heavy rain, with extremely heavy falls, in Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam on 28 October, with gusts of 60–70 kmph rising to 80 kmph. On 27 October, heavy to very heavy rain is likely at one or two places in Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam. The rain shifts north on 29 October to Baleswar, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. Fishermen have been told not to go to sea until 28 October.

Also read Odisha Stays Dry Till October 26; Rain, Gales Follow Bay Depression

Farmers in the south have been asked to harvest paddy that is ready and store it safely before the rain. Health centres must stock anti-snake venom and medicines, and pregnant women and patients will be moved to hospitals in advance.

Teams and Shelters on Standby

About 60 ODRAF teams, 17 NDRF teams and 225 fire service units are on alert, and cyclone and flood shelters have been readied. The General Administration Department’s letter of 24 October cancelled leave for Collectors, District Magistrates and other key officers. Majhi said the state would aim for “zero casualties this time as well”, citing its handling of Cyclones Dana in 2024 and Montha in 2025.

Track Still Favours Andhra

IMD’s latest track puts landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of 28 October, which keeps south Odisha on the system’s rainy northern side. The government has not said how many people it plans to move to shelters or from which blocks; Collectors in other districts will decide on closures as the forecast firms up. Earlier: Cyclone Arnab forecast for the Andhra coast and Friday’s first cyclone outlook.

Source: IMD. Also based on reporting by OdishaBytes, Sambad English, Kalinga TV, The Statesman and ANI.

Image: Sambad English (representative).