New Delhi [India], October 28 (ANI): Cyclonic Storm Arnab, which weakened from a severe cyclonic storm, was centred over coastal Andhra Pradesh and the adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal on Wednesday evening and is likely to weaken further into a deep depression by midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.
The IMD said the storm moved north-northwestwards at a speed of 8 kmph over the past six hours before weakening into a cyclonic storm.
The weather department said the storm is likely to continue moving north-northwestwards over the next 24 hours. It is very likely to weaken into a deep depression by midnight on Wednesday and weaken gradually thereafter.
In a post on X, the IMD said, “Cyclonic Storm “Arnab” over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal—Red Message. The severe cyclonic storm “Arnab” over Coastal Andhra Pradesh & Yanam and adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal, moved slowly north-northwestwards with the speed of 8 kmph during past 6 hours, weakened into a cyclonic storm and lay centered at 1730 hrs IST of today, the 28th October, over the same region near latitude 17.0°N and longitude 81.7°E, about 60 km north of Narsapur (Andhra Pradesh), 60 km west-northwest of Yanam (Puducherry UT), 60 km west of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 100 km west-southwest of Tuni (Andhra Pradesh), 110 km north-northeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 110 km east-northeast of Gannavaram (Andhra Pradesh).”
https://x.com/Indiametdept/status/2115458490533913074
“Continuing to move north-northwestwards during next 24 hours, it is very likely to weaken into a Deep Depression by midnight of today, the 28th October, 2026 and weaken gradually thereafter. The system is under continuous surveillance of the Doppler Weather Radar at Machilipatnam,” the post read.
Meanwhile, more than 55,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh ahead of the cyclone, while three casualties have been reported so far, NDRF DIG (Operations) SS Soodan said.
Providing an update on the cyclone's impact and rescue operations, Soodan said that 39 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams had been deployed, including four teams airlifted on Tuesday to support the response.
Speaking to ANI, he said, "The landfall occurred within the state of Andhra Pradesh, with the centre of the landfall located along the coastal region, south of Yanam. Regarding loss of life and property, the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) has reported three casualties so far... A total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed, including four that were airlifted yesterday... Evacuations were carried out yesterday in Andhra Pradesh, coordinated by the state government with the assistance of the NDRF. More than 55,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas and coastal regions."
Further, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced financial assistance and relief measures for people affected by the cyclone and said he would visit cyclone-hit regions, likely in Konaseema and West Godavari districts, on Thursday afternoon to assess the damage.
Addressing the media at the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Centre at the state Secretariat, the Chief Minister outlined the government's response to the cyclone, the damage caused by the storm and the relief measures planned for affected communities.
He said he had written to the Centre seeking assistance for cyclone-related damage and had also briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the cyclone's intensity and its impact on Andhra Pradesh.
Atleast 22 express and passenger train services have been cancelled or suspended between October 27 and November 5, due to Cyclone Arnab.
Among the significant trains affected are the Visakhapatnam-Kirandul and Rourkela-Jagdalpur services, most of which have been cancelled between October 29 and November 4, while other trains, such as the Howrah-Jagdalpur Samaleswari Express, have also seen their departure dates changed.
Similarly, the Bhubaneswar-Jagdalpur Hirakhand Express will terminate at Rayagada from October 27 to October 30, and the Jagdalpur-Bhubaneswar Hirakhand Express will originate from Rayagada instead of Jagdalpur from October 28 to October 31, both temporary changes.
Cyclone Arnab has weakened after entering the landmass and is expected to further lose intensity by Wednesday evening, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela said, adding that four additional NDRF teams were deployed to Andhra Pradesh as part of disaster response preparations.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Bundela said the system had been downgraded from a very severe cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm and was expected to weaken further over the coming hours.
He said, "The system has now fully entered the landmass. It has been downgraded from a 'very severe cyclonic storm'—a category based on wind speed—to a 'severe cyclonic storm.' It is projected that within the next six hours—by this afternoon—it will weaken further into a 'cyclonic storm,' and by evening, it is expected to downgrade even more into a 'deep depression.' The Government of India, with the assistance of the NDRF and the defense forces, deployed four additional NDRF teams to Andhra Pradesh last night, anticipating that it would be the most severely impacted state. These teams were transported via Indian Air Force aircraft." (ANI)
Cyclone Arnab to move north-northwestwards over next 24 hours, weaken further by midnight: IMD
