AMARAVATI: Cyclone ‘Arnab,’ which formed over the Bay of Bengal, has intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm. Moving at a speed of 22 km/h, the storm is positioned approximately 260 km southeast of Visakhapatnam and 300 km from Kakinada. It is projected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast by forenoon tomorrow. Authorities have issued high alerts across the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Odisha. Heavy rains and gusty winds have already begun battering the coastal belts of Andhra Pradesh.
In a massive disaster preparedness drive, the Andhra Pradesh state government has initiated the evacuation of around 5.70 lakh people from vulnerable coastal stretches. Preliminary assessments indicate that 16 districts fall directly in the cyclone’s trajectory. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed across 11 high-risk districts. Additionally, 1,763 relief camps have been rendered fully operational. Educational institutions in the affected districts have been granted a two-day holiday. Furthermore, Southern Railways and South Central Railways have cancelled 53 train services over the two-day period. Air India has also issued a travel advisory urging passengers to verify their flight statuses on official portals before proceeding to airports.
Meanwhile, under the indirect influence of the severe cyclonic system, southern parts of Kerala are expected to witness rainfall today. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a Yellow Alert for five southern districts—Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, and Kottayam—while no specific weather warnings have been issued for the remaining districts.
For more details: Navamalayalam.com