AgenciesCyclone Arnab intensifies, set to hit Andhra coast as Andaman and Nicobar shuts schools
Cyclone Arnab has formed over the Bay of Bengal and is set to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm, prompting the Andaman and Nicobar administration to shut all schools for two days till Tuesday.
The Directorate of Disaster Management has urged people to take precautionary measures. In its advisory, it said the sea would be extremely rough and asked fisherfolk not to venture into the Bay of Bengal, according to PTI.
Schools are to remain closed for students on October 26 and 27. People have been advised to stay highly vigilant about developments in the weather system and follow official advisories. Tourism, recreational, as well as onshore and offshore activities should be avoided until conditions improve, the advisory stated.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its bulletin on Monday morning, said the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards at 15 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm. The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and become a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by midnight of October 26, and a very severe cyclonic storm over the same region on October 27.
The storm is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm by the forenoon of October 28, according to the IMD. Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, told ANI that wind speed at the time of crossing would be around 115 to 125 kmph, gusting up to 140 kmph.
Arnab is a name given by Bangladesh under the naming list for cyclones in the North Indian Ocean.
Odisha is also on high alert, although the storm will make landfall in Andhra Pradesh. Mohanty said southern Odisha will see extremely heavy rainfall and gusty winds, and the rainfall impact will be more significant than the wind. The IMD has sounded a red alert for October 28 for five districts: Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely there, with winds of 50 to 60 kmph gusting up to 70 kmph.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also forecast on October 28 for Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Bargarh and Nuapada. Rain is likely to continue into October 29 before receding substantially from October 30. Landslides may occur in hilly areas, Mohanty said.
The IMD has hoisted Distant Cautionary Signal No. 1 at all ports in Odisha. Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea until October 29.
The Odisha government has cancelled the leave of all disaster response personnel. Odisha Chief Fire Officer Ramesh Majhi told ANI that 225 rescue teams have been deployed on high alert across vulnerable districts, with 225 vehicles and 1,510 high-power chainsaws ready for use.
(With inputs from PTI)
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The Directorate of Disaster Management has urged people to take precautionary measures. In its advisory, it said the sea would be extremely rough and asked fisherfolk not to venture into the Bay of Bengal, according to PTI.
Schools are to remain closed for students on October 26 and 27. People have been advised to stay highly vigilant about developments in the weather system and follow official advisories. Tourism, recreational, as well as onshore and offshore activities should be avoided until conditions improve, the advisory stated.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its bulletin on Monday morning, said the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards at 15 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm. The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and become a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by midnight of October 26, and a very severe cyclonic storm over the same region on October 27.
The storm is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm by the forenoon of October 28, according to the IMD. Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, told ANI that wind speed at the time of crossing would be around 115 to 125 kmph, gusting up to 140 kmph.
Arnab is a name given by Bangladesh under the naming list for cyclones in the North Indian Ocean.
Odisha is also on high alert, although the storm will make landfall in Andhra Pradesh. Mohanty said southern Odisha will see extremely heavy rainfall and gusty winds, and the rainfall impact will be more significant than the wind. The IMD has sounded a red alert for October 28 for five districts: Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely there, with winds of 50 to 60 kmph gusting up to 70 kmph.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also forecast on October 28 for Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Balangir, Puri, Khordha, Nayagarh, Bargarh and Nuapada. Rain is likely to continue into October 29 before receding substantially from October 30. Landslides may occur in hilly areas, Mohanty said.
The IMD has hoisted Distant Cautionary Signal No. 1 at all ports in Odisha. Fishermen have been strictly advised not to venture into the sea until October 29.
The Odisha government has cancelled the leave of all disaster response personnel. Odisha Chief Fire Officer Ramesh Majhi told ANI that 225 rescue teams have been deployed on high alert across vulnerable districts, with 225 vehicles and 1,510 high-power chainsaws ready for use.
(With inputs from PTI)
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