The deep depression over the has been moving west-northwestwards and is likely to cross the North Andhra Pradesh and adjoining South Odisha coasts within the next 3-4 hours, the India Meteorological Department said. The system, currently a deep depression, is likely to intensify into a cyclone, which has been named ‘Arnab’, meaning ocean in Bengali.
“The Deep Depression over Westcentral & adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal, moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 7 kmph during past 06 hours, and lay centred at 1730 hrs IST of today, the 23rd September, 2026, over the same region close to north Andhra Pradesh coast near latitude 18.1°N and longitude 84.0°E, about 30 km south-southwest of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 90 km east-northeast of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 160 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha),” the IMD said.
Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are reeling under heavy rainfall, with authorities stepping up efforts to minimise the impact.
of Odisha — Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput and Khurda — which have declared the closure of educational institutions until September 24. Leave for government employees has been cancelled, according to news agency PTI.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the situation and directed officials to ensure round-the-clock emergency response, prepare relief shelters and maintain adequate stocks of essential supplies in view of the weather system.
A total of 33 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams have been deployed across affected districts, while nine additional teams have been kept on standby at Chhatrapur.
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has also asked district collectors to remain vigilant and ensure that people living in vulnerable areas are evacuated.
“Monitor inflows in the rivers continuously and take measures for necessary water storage in the reservoirs,” said Naidu in an official release.
Videos on social media showed torrential rain flooding agricultural fields, while rainwater entered residential homes in Bhavani Nagar in Tekkali. A tree was also uprooted at Neelapuram mandal.
The weather agency has placed several districts in southern Odisha under a red alert, warning of intense rainfall over the next two days. Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam are likely to witness heavy to very heavy rain, with isolated areas potentially receiving extremely heavy rainfall on September 23 and 24.
For September 24 and 25, the red alert has been extended to Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri, where heavy rainfall is expected.
For Andhra Pradesh, the IMD has forecast heavy rainfall and placed several districts under a red alert. Isolated places in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvatipuram Manyam and Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) districts are likely to receive heavy rainfall between 8:30 am on Wednesday and 8:30 am on Thursday.
The weather department has also predicted heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam and Eluru districts during the same period.
Similarly, the IMD has forecast heavy rain at isolated places over NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Anantapur, Kurnool and Nandyal districts during this 24-hour interval.
(With inputs from agencies)
