BHUBANESWAR, Oct 27: Heavy rainfall and strong winds affected several parts of Odisha on Tuesday as very severe cyclonic storm Arnab advanced towards India’s eastern coastline, prompting weather alerts and precautionary measures ahead of its expected landfall in Andhra Pradesh within the next 24 hours.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange warning for Puri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall ranging from 12 to 20 cm.
A yellow alert was issued for 16 other districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Khurda, Nayagarh, Jagatsinghpur, Nuapada, Balangir and Boudh. These areas could receive rainfall between 7 and 11 cm.
In its latest bulletin, the IMD said the cyclone had moved at a speed of 22 kmph during the preceding six hours. At 5.30 am, the storm was centred over the Bay of Bengal, approximately 260 km southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
According to the weather agency, Arnab was expected to continue moving west-northwestwards until the evening of October 27 before changing direction towards the northwest.
The storm is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by the forenoon of October 28.
The IMD warned that the cyclone could make landfall with maximum sustained wind speeds of 115-125 kmph, accompanied by gusts reaching 140 kmph.
Odisha Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said the state government had made necessary arrangements to respond to the developing weather situation. Personnel and equipment had been positioned at vulnerable locations to support emergency operations.
Authorities were also moving residents from low-lying areas to safer locations to reduce the risk to life as rainfall and strong winds intensified.
With the cyclone approaching the eastern coastline, officials were monitoring weather conditions and coordinating preparedness measures. Residents in the affected districts were urged to follow official advisories and cooperate with local authorities as the system moved closer to land.