Ipsa Tripathy
Status as of Tuesday evening, October 27, 2026
Bhubaneswar: By Tuesday evening, the sea off Kakinada had turned dangerously rough, with seawater already entering fishing villages before the cyclone’s expected arrival. Cyclone Arnab, described as the Bay of Bengal’s first cyclone of 2026, had intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm and was moving towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. Its effects were already being felt well beyond the expected landfall area, with rain spreading into southern Odisha and authorities preparing for flooding, landslides and damage to essential services.
At 2:30 pm on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department placed Arnab about 140 km southeast of Kakinada, 170 km south of Visakhapatnam and 380 km south-southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha. The storm was forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, just south of Yanam, around midday on Wednesday, October 28. Sustained wind speeds were expected to reach 125 to 135 kmph, with gusts of up to 150 kmph.
Arnab strengthened rapidly, becoming a very severe cyclonic storm on Monday night. By Tuesday morning, its winds had reached 150 to 160 kmph, with gusts reportedly touching 180 kmph. Some weakening was expected before landfall, but the storm remained powerful enough to threaten coastal settlements, infrastructure and standing crops.
There is also a point of confusion surrounding the name. A weather system that crossed the coast near Kalingapatnam in late September was widely described in reports as Cyclone Arnab. However, it remained a deep depression and did not reach the intensity required to be classified as a cyclone. The storm now approaching the coast is a separate system.
Andhra Pradesh faces the greatest threat
The Godavari delta is among the areas facing the most serious danger. The IMD warned that seawater could rise 1 to 1.5 metres above normal in low-lying coastal areas, with East Godavari expected to face a particularly high risk of storm surge. Forecasts also described exceptionally rough seas, with waves reported to reach as high as 14 metres. Kakinada Port raised Great Danger Signal 10, while Visakhapatnam and Gangavaram ports were under signal 9.
Evacuation and emergency preparations were already under way. Around 89,000 people from the Kakinada coast had been moved to 101 relief camps. Seawater had entered Uppada and nearby villages, while beaches across Visakhapatnam were closed. Across Andhra Pradesh, authorities had arranged 2,131 cyclone shelters in 20 districts, secured more than 30,000 fishing boats and moved 1,351 pregnant women to hospitals. Alerts were also being sent to mobile phones across 18 districts.
Visakhapatnam experienced heavy rain throughout Tuesday. Between 8:30 am and 4 pm, one weather station recorded around 122 mm of rainfall, while several neighbourhoods received more than 100 mm. Trees fell in different parts of the city, including one that landed on a house in Maharanipeta. The IMD warned that the storm could destroy thatched homes, damage power and communication poles and cause extensive losses to standing crops.
The situation is particularly difficult because Andhra Pradesh is already dealing with drought conditions. The state has declared 388 of its 688 mandals drought-affected. The arrival of a powerful cyclone brings a different set of risks, from coastal inundation to intense rainfall and sudden flooding.
Southern Odisha prepares for heavy rain
Odisha is not expected to face a direct landfall, but the state remains vulnerable to the cyclone’s wider effects. The main concern is heavy rainfall across southern districts, where swollen streams, flash floods and landslides can threaten communities far from the coast. The IMD forecast isolated extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and Odisha on October 27 and 28.
By 11 am on Tuesday, Odisha had evacuated 48,010 people from vulnerable areas. These included 11,270 people in Nabarangpur, 11,000 in Gajapati, 9,850 in Malkangiri and 6,500 in Ganjam. More than 1,735 cyclone shelters had been prepared, and ₹19 crore had been released for relief operations. Authorities also restricted travel through landslide-prone areas and deployed 313 rescue teams across 20 districts. These included 244 fire service teams, 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams and nine National Disaster Response Force teams.
Schools, colleges and anganwadi centres were ordered to remain closed on October 28 and 29 in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur. Fishing at sea was prohibited, while tourists were advised to stay away from hills, waterfalls and dams. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sent eight ministers to oversee preparations in affected areas.
In Kandhamal district, traffic along Kalinga Ghat and the Daringbadi–Gajalabadi ghat roads was suspended until October 29 because of the risk of landslides. Such restrictions can disrupt travel, but they are particularly important when prolonged rain makes slopes unstable and leaves little time for evacuation once a slide begins.
The coastline has also seen precautionary measures. Boat services on Chilika Lake were suspended from October 26 to 29, while Paradip Port provided shelter to 305 fishermen. In Puri, persistent rain raised concerns about waterlogging along Badadanda and Marine Drive, prompting the installation of heavy-duty pumps. Red flags were placed on the beach, and 98 lifeguards were deployed to keep visitors out of the water. Gopalpur Port also sheltered 34 fishing boats from Andhra Pradesh.
Rain and strong winds reached Bhubaneswar and Cuttack on Tuesday. Rail services faced disruption as well, with 22 express and passenger trains scheduled to be cancelled or regulated on various dates between October 27 and November 5. The affected services included trains connecting destinations such as Koraput, Rayagada, Jagdalpur and Kirandul.
The danger does not end at landfall
A cyclone’s impact can continue long after its centre crosses the coast. Arnab was expected to turn north and northeast after landfall, bringing rainfall into Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as it weakened. Falling wind speeds do not necessarily mean the danger has passed. Heavy rain can continue to flood roads, damage homes, inundate farmland and overwhelm drainage systems, particularly in areas that receive intense rainfall over a short period.
Chhattisgarh issued red alerts for Bastar, Sukma, Dantewada and Kondagaon for October 28. Telangana, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Nepal were also placed on alert for possible effects in the days ahead. The extent of the danger in each location will depend on the storm’s track, rainfall distribution and local conditions.
The Centre has directed agencies to prioritise the protection of lives and limit damage, with rapid restoration of essential services after the storm. Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan called for coordinated action, while 31 NDRF teams were deployed across Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.
For Odisha, Arnab is another test of the disaster preparedness built over decades since the 1999 super cyclone. The state’s response now depends not only on coastal readiness but also on how effectively it manages heavy rain in its southern districts, where hilly terrain and vulnerable roads can complicate rescue operations. In Andhra Pradesh, the immediate challenge is more severe, with coastal communities facing storm surge, damaging winds and intense rainfall as the system approaches.
The next 48 hours will be critical for both states. Evacuations and warnings can reduce the loss of life, but the outcome will also depend on how closely the storm follows its forecast track, how much rain it brings and how quickly emergency teams can reach people cut off by flooding or landslides.