The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said that Cyclone Arnab, which has been categorised as a very severe cyclonic storm, has started making landfall in Andhra Pradesh. According to the IMD, made landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, to the south of Yanam and the process is expected to continue for the next three hours.
The IMD, in its latest update, said that the cyclone maintains a core intensity of 125 to 135 kmph, gusting up to 150 kmph. Having moved northwestwards at 3 kmph over the past three hours, the storm is expected to move slowly northwestwards initially before tracking north-northwestwards.
In the wake of the landfall, multiple trees were uprooted and power lines snapped across various locations in Andhra Pradesh’s .
Heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds uprooted trees, blocking Beach Road and Seethammadhara in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam.
Heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds uprooted trees, blocking Beach Road and Seethammadhara in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam.
It has issued a major inundation alert, stating that a storm surge of 1.5 to 2.5 metres above astronomical tide is very likely to submerge low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh during the next 4 to 5 hours, with the maximum peak surge expected near Kakinada and Yanam in the Puducherry Union Territory.
The IMD mentioned that extreme heavy rainfall exceeding 200 mm was recorded across several locations in Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts between 0830 hrs on October 27 and 0300 hrs on October 28.
In Odisha, IMD has issued a warning issued severe weather warnings, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at one or two locations over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, Nawarangpur, and Malkangiri. These areas are also very likely to experience thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty surface winds reaching 60 to 80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph.
Under an orange warning, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been predicted for Kalahandi, Kandhamala, Nuapada, Balangir, Bargarh, Puri, Khordha, Sonepur, Boudh, and Nayagarh, alongside thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching 40 to 50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph.
Earlier, authorities ordered thousands to move inland or take shelter in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha ahead of the storm. Some 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in two states, authorities said.
“Protecting every life is our foremost priority,” Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said.
As the cyclone and heavy rains continue to leave a trail of destruction, the South Central Railway has announced train cancellations, partial cancellations, and rescheduling of several trains.
The said flights to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha were expected to be among the most affected due to the cyclone.
