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Cyclone Arnab closes in on Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts

The severe cyclonic storm is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast on October 28 with winds gusting up to 140 kmph, prompting mass evacuations and emergency measures.

27 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Cyclone Arnab closes in on Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts — Archive photoPhoto: NASA MODIS Satellite Imagery · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Cyclone Arnab intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal and is moving towards the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further by midnight of October 26, 2026. The cyclone is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm on October 28 forenoon, with maximum sustained winds of 115-125 kmph gusting up to 140 kmph.

Rainfall activity began in several southern Odisha districts on October 27, while Andhra Pradesh experienced light showers on October 25 and 26, with much of the cyclone-induced rainfall expected to commence on October 27. The Indian Meteorological Department issued red alerts for seven of the 28 districts in Andhra Pradesh for October 27. Widespread rainfall is forecast across Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday and Wednesday, with extremely heavy rainfall likely in several districts, and there is also a likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall in 10 districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Evacuation operations are underway in Andhra Pradesh, with people in low-lying areas from Bapatla to Vizianagaram being moved to safety. According to officials, 4,711 pregnant women will be shifted to safer healthcare facilities. A state minister directed civic officials to remain on high alert, asking them to prevent waterlogging and shift residents of vulnerable areas to safety.

Odisha has implemented precautionary measures across its vulnerable southern districts. The government banned fishing and tourist entry in six districts—Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur—and has mobilised its resources in these areas. Odisha has readied 1,700 shelters in five southern districts to accommodate affected residents.

Arnab is set to be the first very severe cyclonic storm to affect Andhra Pradesh since Titli in 2018. According to Indian Meteorological Department records, there have been 10 very severe cyclonic storms since 1970 and 2023, making this system a significant weather event for the region.

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