Arnab pounds Andhra, five dead

At least five people were killed after cyclone Arnab made landfall near the Andhra Pradesh coast early on Wednesday, with the complete process taking more than six hours. Arnab, which made landfall as a “very severe” cyclonic storm, the third-highest category on IMD’s scale, is currently located over the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts.

The India Meteorological Department forecast squally weather, with winds reaching 50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph, along the Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal coasts, as well as the northern Tamil Nadu coast, from 5.30 am on October 29 to 5.30 am on October 30.

Extremely heavy rainfall was recorded in Andhra Pradesh, while very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall was reported in Odisha in the 24 hours until 8.30 am on Wednesday. The maximum sustained wind speed recorded in the 24 hours until 8.30 am on Wednesday was 96 kmph at Machilipatnam. The IMD said Cyclone Arnab had completed its landfall by 8 am on Wednesday, with the storm’s central region moving entirely over land.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu sent a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also spoke over phone, detailing the damage caused by the cyclone, according to a press release.

Moderate to heavy rain also lashed the coastal and some southern districts of West Bengal and simultaneously battered southern Odisha, prompting the State Government to evacuate over 30,000 people and place several districts on high alert. Schools and anganwadi centres in 16 of the State’s 30 districts remained closed on Wednesday.

The disaster response and rescue teams of the Centre and those of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have braced to tackle the effects of rainfall, which is expected to continue in the two States and adjoining areas.

The Jharkhand Government also ordered the closure of schools in Ranchi, West Singhbhum, East Singhbhum and Simdega district till October 29 in the wake of rainfall triggered by the cyclone.

The IMD forecast heavy rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of Andhra Pradesh over the seven days from Wednesday to November 3.

NDRF Inspector General (IG) Narendra Singh Bundela told reporters here during a press briefing.

The cyclone has made landfall near Yanam, Puducherry, and has weakened from a very serious cyclonic storm to a severe cyclonic storm.

It is estimated that it will gradually lose strength to convert into a cyclonic storm and finally into a deep depression by the evening, he said.

“North of Andhra Pradesh and the southern part of Odisha have been the most affected due to Cyclone Arnab. Strong winds and rainfall are being witnessed in a few districts of the two states,” Bundela said.

“Andhra Pradesh has been the most affected. There has not been a serious impact in Odisha as per preliminary reports,” he said. The IG said a total of 39 NDRF teams have been deployed in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, along with neighbouring Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Puducherry, Telangana and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which were expected to be affected due to the cyclone. Bundela said that about 57,000 people were shifted to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh and 38 were evacuated from Yanam last night.