Cyclone Arnab will make landfall by Wednesday morning, the IMD said. The Andhra Pradesh government released ₹27 crore for relief in 20 districts. Officials moved 4,711 pregnant women to safety as 15 NDRF teams started work. Heavy rain is expected across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh this week.
The Andhra Pradesh government has released ₹27 crore for relief operations in 20 districts likely to be affected by Cyclone Arnab.
Fifteen National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have also been deployed in vulnerable areas.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered round-the-clock vigilance and comprehensive preparedness to minimize the impact of the storm and prevent loss of life, including shifting 4,711 pregnant women to safer healthcare facilities.
The Odisha government has also taken preventive measures, including the closure of educational institutions in six southern districts.
People from vulnerable areas are being moved to safer locations as a precautionary measure.
The IMD has warned of extremely heavy rainfall over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on October 27-28, with similar conditions expected in Odisha on October 28.
Cyclone Arnab has intensified into a cyclonic storm over the central Bay of Bengal. It is currently centered 540km from Visakhapatnam and is expected to further intensify into a severe cyclone soon.
The IMD forecasts isolated extremely heavy rainfall over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on October 27-28, Odisha on October 28, Chhattisgarh on October 28-29, and east Uttar Pradesh on October 29.