Cyclone ‘Arnab’ Hits Indian Coast with Winds Up to 150 km/h

Cyclone ‘Arnab’ made landfall along the coast of Andhra Pradesh, India, late Tuesday night around 1:20 AM. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm struck with wind speeds between 125 and 135 km/h, gusting up to 150 km/h. The landfall process is expected to take approximately four hours to complete.
The center of the cyclone is currently located near the coastal region between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to southern Yanam. Heavy rainfall and gale-force winds are battering coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and southern Odisha. Power supplies have been disrupted across several districts, and uprooted trees along the national highway near Yanam are currently being cleared by disaster response teams.

In response to the severe weather, flight operations at three airports in Andhra Pradesh have been suspended, and numerous train services have been canceled. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that over 2,000 relief shelters have been established to accommodate evacuated coastal residents, while pregnant women have been relocated to healthcare facilities.

The outer bands of the cyclone have also brought rain and squalls to West Bengal, including Kolkata, starting Tuesday night. A yellow alert has been issued for Kolkata and all southern districts for Wednesday, with anticipated wind gusts ranging from 30 to 40 km/h.
Heavy rainfall between 7 and 11 cm is forecast for South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, and Jhargram, where wind speeds could reach up to 50 km/h in isolated areas.

Adverse weather conditions are expected to persist through Thursday across South Bengal, with heavy rain predicted in East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, and Bankura. Additional rainfall and thunderstorms are likely in West Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia on Friday.

In North Bengal, heavy rain warnings have been issued for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar for Thursday and Friday. The weather office has warned of potential landslides in hilly regions due to continuous precipitation, with inclement weather likely to continue into Saturday.
Fishermen have been advised to refrain from venturing into the sea off the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha until Thursday.