Very severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab’ began impacting coastal Andhra Pradesh early Tuesday, bringing gusty winds and heavy rainfall that are expected to intensify across the state’s northern coast over the next few hours, State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) managing director Prakhar Jain said.
According to the India Meteorological Department, the cyclone, which had moved with a speed of 22kmph during the previous 6 hours, was at 5:30am centered roughly 260 km from Visakhapatnam, 300 km from Kakinada, 390km from Machilipatnam, and 380 km from Gopalpur in Odisha.
It is projected to turn northwestward by Tuesday evening and make landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by Wednesday morning. Wind speeds along the coast are expected to reach 90–100 kmph on Tuesday, and may increase to 115–125 kmph with gusts up to 140 kmph during landfall.
Jain appealed to people to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel and stay indoors in safe locations. He specifically warned people against standing near trees, large hoardings and dilapidated buildings, which could collapse or be uprooted in strong winds.
Widespread rainfall is forecast across Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday and Wednesday, with extremely heavy rainfall likely in several districts. The combination of intense rain and strong winds could cause damage to trees, electricity infrastructure, temporary structures and buildings in vulnerable areas.
He said extremely heavy rainfall was forecast in Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari and Eluru districts on Tuesday. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is likely at several places in Srikakulam, Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Anakapalli, NTR, Krishna, Guntur and Bapatla districts.
Heavy rainfall is also likely in Palnadu, Prakasam, Markapuram and Nellore districts.
On Wednesday, extremely heavy rainfall is forecast in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR and Krishna districts.
Officials said the rainfall intensity and the geographical spread of the impact would depend on the cyclone’s movement and the conditions prevailing during landfall.
Eight State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been kept ready in the cyclone-affected districts. An additional three SDRF teams and five NDRF teams are also available for deployment, if needed.
In addition, 115 teams have been prepared to remove fallen trees and rescue teams equipped with 13 boats have been prepped to respond to emergencies, including road blockages, flooding and the need to evacuate people from vulnerable locations.
The arrangements are intended to facilitate rapid response and minimise disruption to essential services during and after the cyclone’s passage.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday night released ₹27 crore for cyclone-related preparedness and relief operations.
Each of the seven districts in north coastal Andhra will receive ₹2 crore each, while 13 other districts will be provided ₹1 crore each, to fund precautionary measures and emergency-response activities in the affected areas.
Jain said people in vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas have been urged to take precautionary measures and remain in safe locations.
SDMA also said people could reach out to them through the Mana Mitra WhatsApp number: 9552300009.
Officials said Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) secretary Bhaskar Katamneni and chief executive officer Prakhar Jain were reviewing cyclone preparedness measures and coordinating with officials from various departments.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is being briefed on the precautionary measures implemented across the state.
Preliminary assessments indicate that 16 districts, spanning 2,460 revenue villages and 92 urban areas, were expected to face significant impact. Authorities have designated 1,763 cyclone shelters, set up 2,907 control rooms at mandal levels, and deployed 3,185 nodal officers.
Beaches have been closed, and traffic on coastal roads will be suspended from Tuesday afternoon.
All fishermen who had ventured into the sea have returned home, and 30,043 fishing boats secured at harbours to minimise the risk of damage.