Evacuations and Preparations Underway as Cyclone Arnab Approaches Andhra Pradesh Coast
Authorities are moving about 89,000 residents to relief camps and issuing weather alerts as Cyclone Arnab, forecast to become a very severe cyclonic storm, nears the Kakinada and Yanam coasts.
The India Meteorological Department has warned that Cyclone Arnab is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and make landfall near Yanam or Kakinada on October 28. About 89,000 people living along six coastal belts are being relocated to 101 relief camps, with food and drinking water supplied by the Revenue Department. The entire Hope Island off Kakinada has been cleared, and 130 island residents have been moved to the city.
In Uttar Pradesh, the IMD issued a yellow alert for districts including Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Varanasi, with wind speeds of 30-40 km/h expected on October 28, and an orange alert for October 29 due to possible heavy rain and stronger winds. The state relief commissioner’s office has advised the public and farmers to follow weather warnings and has emphasized rescue and relief readiness.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana instructed municipal commissioners to keep a high alert, prevent waterlogging in low-lying areas, and ensure drainage systems function effectively. Engineering and sanitation staff were directed to clear drains promptly.
The cyclone also prompted increased market activity in Visakhapatnam, where shoppers purchased essential items in anticipation of heavy rain and gusts up to 140 km/h.
Tamil Nadu is expected to experience a brief pause in monsoon rains from October 27, with drier conditions forecast until November 1, after which rainfall may resume. The state has recorded 21.5 cm of rain this month, well above the average.
Since 1970, Andhra Pradesh has recorded ten very severe cyclonic storms; Arnab would be the eleventh if it reaches that intensity, according to IMD records.