Cyclone Arnab Landfall Completed; IMD Warns of Flash Floods in Four States

Vizag: Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts on Wednesday and weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after landfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, while issuing a flash flood warning for districts in four states.

According to the IMD’s Hourly Bulletin, the storm crossed the coast as a very severe cyclonic storm between 2 am and 8 am IST on October 28, near Narsapur. The crossing point was about 40 km southwest of Yanam and 60 km southwest of Kakinada, close to 16.45 degrees north and 81.90 degrees east. Maximum sustained winds were 125 to 135 kmph, with gusts of up to 150 kmph.

At 8.30 am the system weakened from a very severe to a severe cyclonic storm. By 10.55 am the IMD confirmed that the landfall process had been completed, with the storm’s central region moving entirely over land along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts.

The department has also issued a flash flood risk warning for several districts in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana under the influence of the storm. The warning, valid until 5.30 am on October 29, indicates a moderate to high risk of flash flooding in vulnerable watersheds and neighbouring areas over the next 24 hours. Heavy rain could cause surface runoff and waterlogging, especially in low-lying areas and where soil is already saturated.

Ahead of landfall, rain and gusty winds had lashed north coastal Andhra Pradesh, and a red alert was in force for Eluru, East Godavari, West Godavari, Konaseema and Kakinada districts.

The IMD has not yet released figures on damage or casualties in the reports shared here.