Cyclone Arnab: Trees uprooted, roads submerged in Andhra as wall cloud’s final stretch nears; Met Office warns “stay indoors”

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Amaravati: The rear portion of the wall cloud region of severe cyclonic storm Arnab is expected to enter the Andhra Pradesh coast within the next hour to complete the landfall process, the weather department said on Wednesday, as strong winds, heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions affected several coastal areas.

“The centre of the system lay over the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts to the south of Yanam. The rear portion of the wall cloud region will enter the coastal area in the next one hour to complete the landfall process,” the weather department said.

Amaravati Meteorological Department Director Dr K Nagaratna said the severe cyclone, which formed over the Bay of Bengal, had made landfall during the previous night between Bapatla and Yanam, in the vicinity of Visakhapatnam or Kakinada-Yanam.

Speaking in Vijayawada on Wednesday morning, Naga Ratna said strong winds were blowing at speeds of 125-135 kmph along the coast, while gusts could reach a maximum of 150 kmph in the next three hours.

She said the cyclone had slowed down, which could prolong its impact on coastal areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an extremely severe alert for the Andhra Pradesh coast and the south Odisha coast.

The sea has become extremely turbulent along the Kakinada and Yanam coasts, with waves rising up to 2.5 metres above normal levels. Nagaratna warned of the risk of a severe storm surge, with seawater potentially entering low-lying areas around Kakinada and Yanam, and urged residents to remain highly vigilant.

A flash flood alert has been issued for Bapatla, Guntur, Krishna, NTR, Eluru, West Godavari, Konaseema, East Godavari, Kakinada, Alluri, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and Parvathipuram Manyam districts.

The weather department said flash floods could occur at any time in these districts. Nagaratna appealed to people to remain indoors until the landfall process was completed and gusty winds subsided. She also advised residents not to stand under electric poles, old buildings or large trees, and to monitor official warnings and remain in safe places.

In Visakhapatnam, strong winds and high tides were witnessed at RK Beach under the influence of Cyclone Arnab, with rough sea conditions prevailing in the area. Police restricted public entry onto the beach as a precautionary measure, while fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea.

The centre of the severe cyclonic storm was reported to be very close to the coastline, with the landfall process expected to continue over the next few hours.

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A tree was uprooted near the AU College of Engineering for Women in Visakhapatnam due to strong winds associated with the cyclone.

According to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), the movement of Cyclone Arnab over the preceding 24 hours had been closely monitored. Authorities were tracking its movement and impact on coastal districts, where strong winds and heavy rainfall were reported in several areas.

Heavy rain accompanied by thunder, lightning and gusty winds lashed Vijayawada city and surrounding areas due to Cyclone Arnab.

Several low-lying areas and major roads in the city were waterlogged following the heavy downpour. Officials said moderate to heavy rainfall was likely to continue through Wednesday.

Residents were advised not to step out of their homes unless necessary and to avoid standing under trees and electric poles.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the state government was closely monitoring the situation, with 2,199 cyclone shelters identified and evacuation plans in place. He said 12 NDRF and 10 SDRF teams had been assigned to 14 districts, while medical teams, ambulances, emergency beds and essential supplies were kept ready.

The state has deployed 1,087 medical teams, kept 8,281 emergency beds and 1,274 ambulances ready, and shifted pregnant women to hospitals as a precaution. Authorities have also arranged drinking water tankers, generators, RO plants and equipment to clear fallen trees and restore road connectivity. The RTGS Centre and APSDMA are monitoring developments round the clock.

Cyclone Arnab has also disrupted flight operations. Services at Visakhapatnam were suspended from the afternoon of October 27, while operations at Vijayawada and Rajahmundry were suspended after 7 pm. Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and Akasa Air announced cancellations, while Alliance Air reported normal operations.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation advised passengers to check their flight status before leaving for airports and urged airlines to provide assistance to affected travellers.

(ANI)

Also Read: Cyclone Arnab continues landfall off Andhra coast, to continue for next 2 hours

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