Bhubaneswar, Oct 28: Cyclone Arnab has made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast, bringing destructive winds and torrential rain to coastal areas. Odisha is also likely to experience adverse weather conditions, with southern districts facing the risk of heavy rainfall, strong winds and landslides.

The cyclone reportedly made landfall with sustained wind speeds of 125–135 kmph, while gusts were estimated to have reached 150 kmph. The storm has battered coastal Andhra Pradesh, damaging trees and houses and triggering concerns over widespread disruption.

Landslide alert in Southern Odisha

Authorities have closed the Kalinga Ghat and Daringbadi Ghat roads in Kandhamal district as a precautionary measure against possible landslides. Extensive safety arrangements have also been made in Gajapati district.

Also read: Cyclone Arnab makes landfall at night, wreaks havoc in Andhra Pradesh

All tourist destinations in Gajapati, including Mahendragiri and Gandahati, will remain closed until October 29. Meanwhile, Puri has witnessed repeated spells of rain, with rough sea conditions reported along the coast. Rain has also continued in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Paradip.

Cyclone timeline and landfall

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Arnab intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm before accelerating over the sea. Wind speeds began increasing from Tuesday morning, while the cyclone's outer bands started reaching the Andhra Pradesh coast after 8 pm.

The system reportedly made landfall between 2 am and 4 am, between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, south of Kakinada.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), meanwhile, estimated that wind speeds during landfall may have exceeded 190 kmph. The storm reportedly maintained much of its intensity even an hour and a half after landfall, raising concerns about its continued impact over Andhra Pradesh.

IMD warns of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Odisha

The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over southern Odisha and the southern coastal belt until Wednesday morning. Rain and strong winds are expected to continue across several parts of the state, with light to moderate rainfall likely in most districts on Wednesday.

The districts most likely to be affected by heavy to extremely heavy rainfall and strong winds include Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also expected in Bargarh, Subarnapur, Boudh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh. Wind speeds in these areas may reach 40–50 kmph, with gusts of up to 60 kmph.

Other districts, including Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj, may also experience heavy rainfall. Winds in these areas could reach 30–40 kmph, with gusts of up to 50 kmph.

On October 29, rainfall is expected to continue across several parts of Odisha, with heavy showers likely in some districts of western and northern Odisha. Wind speeds could remain between 30 and 40 kmph, with gusts reaching 50 kmph.

Another weather system may intensify rainfall

Dr Sarat Chandra Sahu, Director of SOA's Centre for Environment and Climate (CEC), said the cyclone could bring winds of 60–80 kmph and rainfall to southern and coastal Odisha until Wednesday afternoon.

He also pointed to another low-pressure system approaching from the Tamil Nadu side, which was expected to move inland between Ganjam and Puri on Wednesday morning. This system could further intensify rainfall and bring winds of 75–100 kmph to coastal and southern interior Odisha.