Cyclone Arnab’s Landfall Underway Near Andhra Pradesh Coast, IMD Says
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Cyclone Arnab remained almost stationary near the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday morning, with the landfall process underway, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The very severe cyclonic storm was expected to cross the coast with wind speeds of 115-125 kmph, with gusts reaching 140 kmph. Officials said no loss of life had been reported so far.
At 5.30 am, the cyclone was located about 30 km east of Narsapur, 45 km south-southwest of Yanam and 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada. The storm had remained in almost the same position for the previous three hours, according to the IMD.
Cyclone Landfall Process Underway
The IMD said the cyclone was moving northwest and was expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to the south of Yanam. The storm's northern part had already started moving over land, and the landfall process was expected to continue for around two more hours.
The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) also confirmed that the cyclone was crossing the coast. Its Managing Director, Prakhar Jain, said the storm's centre was around 20 km from Narsapur and over the Yanam coast. He expected the landfall to be completed within an hour.
Chandrababu Naidu Reviews Relief Measures
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu held a teleconference with around 32,000 government personnel to review the cyclone's impact and the steps taken to help people. The meeting included District Collectors and staff working at the ground level across the state.
The Chief Minister also held a special meeting with senior officials to review possible crop damage. He directed officials to prepare initial estimates of the losses and asked them to inform the Central Government about the steps being taken to manage the situation.
Naidu praised government officials and field staff for working through the night to reduce problems for the public. He asked them to continue their efforts until the cyclone's impact reduces and normal conditions return. According to an official release, advance safety measures taken by the administration helped prevent loss of life, and no deaths had been reported at the time of the update.
