Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab began affecting coastal Andhra Pradesh early Tuesday, bringing gusty winds and heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rain forecast across several districts over the next two days. The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) warned that conditions could intensify along the state’s northern coast as the cyclone moves towards landfall. Authorities have placed emergency response teams on standby, closed beaches and prepared evacuation and relief arrangements across vulnerable areas.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone was moving at 22 kmph during the preceding six hours and was centred at 5.30 am about 260 km from Visakhapatnam, 300 km from Kakinada, 390 km from Machilipatnam and 380 km from Gopalpur in Odisha. It was projected to turn northwestward by Tuesday evening and make landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam, by Wednesday morning. Wind speeds along the coast were expected to reach 90–100 kmph on Tuesday and rise to 115–125 kmph during landfall, with gusts reaching 140 kmph.
SDMA managing director Prakhar Jain said extremely heavy rainfall was forecast on Tuesday in Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari and Eluru districts. Heavy to extremely heavy rain was also likely in Srikakulam, Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Anakapalli, NTR, Krishna, Guntur and Bapatla districts. Rainfall was also expected in Palnadu, Prakasam, Markapuram and Nellore. On Wednesday, extremely heavy rainfall was forecast in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Alluri Sitarama Raju, Polavaram, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Eluru, NTR and Krishna districts.
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Authorities warned that heavy rain and strong winds could damage trees, electricity infrastructure, temporary structures and vulnerable buildings, besides causing flooding and road blockages. Jain urged residents to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel and stay indoors in safe locations. He cautioned people against standing near trees, large hoardings and dilapidated buildings that could be uprooted or collapse during strong winds. Officials said the extent of rainfall and the cyclone’s impact would depend on its movement and the conditions prevailing during landfall.
Eight State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been kept ready in affected districts, with another three SDRF teams and five NDRF teams available for deployment if required. Authorities have also prepared 115 teams to clear fallen trees and equipped rescue teams with 13 boats to respond to emergencies. The state has designated 1,763 cyclone shelters, established 2,907 mandal-level control rooms and deployed 3,185 nodal officers. Preliminary assessments identified 16 districts, covering 2,460 revenue villages and 92 urban areas, as potentially facing significant impacts.
The Andhra Pradesh government released ₹27 crore on Monday night for cyclone preparedness and relief operations. Each of the seven districts in north coastal Andhra was allocated ₹2 crore, while 13 other districts were allocated ₹1 crore each for precautionary measures and emergency response. Beaches have been closed, and traffic on coastal roads is scheduled to be suspended from Tuesday afternoon. Officials said all fishermen who had ventured into the sea had returned, while 30,043 fishing boats had been secured at harbours. Residents can contact the SDMA through the Mana Mitra WhatsApp number, 9552300009, for assistance.
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