The Centre on Monday sounded an alert in four states and Puducherry and stepped up preparedness as Cyclone Arnab intensified over the Bay of Bengal and moved towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, where it is expected to make landfall on the morning of October 28. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry have been placed on alert.
In its morning bulletin on Monday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the cyclonic storm was centred over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal at 5:30 am. It was located around 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and was moving westwards at a speed of 15 kmph.
The storm is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Monday midnight and further strengthen into a very severe cyclonic storm on Tuesday.
According to the IMD, Arnab is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by Tuesday afternoon. It is likely to bring sustained wind speeds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 140 kmph.
CENTRE REVIEWS PREPAREDNESS AHEAD OF ARNAB LANDFALL
Amid the approaching storm, Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to assess preparedness and coordinate relief measures. Authorities in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have also been asked to remain vigilant in view of the forecast of heavy rainfall.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed, with additional personnel kept on standby. The Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard have also kept their rescue and relief teams ready.
Somanathan directed officials to prioritise the safety of residents, minimise damage to property and ensure uninterrupted essential services. He also stressed the need for their swift restoration in the event of disruptions.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea between October 26 (Monday) and 29 (Thursday).
The Ministry of Home Affairs, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and IMD are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the states concerned.
ANDHRA, ODISHA STEP UP CYCLONE PREPARATIONS
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to maintain round-the-clock vigilance, set up district-level control rooms and issue regular alerts to residents of coastal villages. Fishing boats have been asked to return to shore, while arrangements are being made to shift pregnant women nearing their delivery dates to hospitals in advance.
The state has positioned 10 NDRF teams, with 16 additional teams on standby across the country. Visakhapatnam district authorities have also deployed rescue personnel and alerted the Navy and Coast Guard. The state Energy Department has kept 25,000 electric poles and other essential materials ready to deal with possible power disruptions.
In Odisha, six southern districts – Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur – have been identified as vulnerable. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has deputed eight ministers to oversee preparations. NDRF, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), fire services and police personnel have been positioned in vulnerable areas.
The state government has also prohibited fishing and restricted tourist entry to hills, waterfalls and dams in the six districts as a precautionary measure.
BENGAL, JHARKHAND, BIHAR ALSO LIKELY TO SEE RAIN
Cyclone Arnab's impact is expected to extend beyond the states along the eastern coast.
In West Bengal, the IMD has forecast heavy rainfall in several districts between October 28 and 30. South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia are likely to receive heavy rain.
Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri in the sub-Himalayan region may also receive heavy rainfall on October 29 and 30, with a landslide warning for Darjeeling.
Light to moderate rain is expected in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly and other south Bengal districts. Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea along the West Bengal coast from October 26, with squally winds forecast to reach 35–45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph.
The IMD has also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of Telangana and Chhattisgarh, besides heavy rainfall in Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha and eastern Madhya Pradesh over the coming days. The Andaman Islands are also likely to receive rain on October 26 and 27.
Cyclone warning signals have been hoisted at nine ports across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as the weather system intensifies over the Bay of Bengal. The ports include Chennai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Karaikal, Pamban and Thoothukudi.
The warning signals indicate the need for port authorities, vessel operators and other maritime stakeholders to remain alert to changing weather conditions.
WHY IS THE CYCLONE CALLED ARNAB?
The name Arnab was proposed by Bangladesh and features in the list of cyclone names adopted by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
Arnab is commonly associated with the Bengali word for ocean or sea. The official naming list, however, does not specify a formal meaning for the name. The list contains 169 names contributed by 13 countries, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The names are used in sequence for cyclones forming over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The naming system helps distinguish storms and makes weather warnings easier to communicate.
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(with inputs from PTI)