New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Very Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Arnab’ began its landfall process early Wednesday along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph and gusts reaching 150 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
According to the IMD, the storm is expected to move slowly northwestwards initially before tracking north-northwestwards.
At 11.30 p.m. on Tuesday, the system was centred over the Westcentral Bay of Bengal, close to the Andhra Pradesh coast, near latitude 16.3 degrees North and longitude 82.1 degrees East.
The cyclone was located approximately 50 km east-southeast of Narsapur, 70 km south of Kakinada, 100 km east of Machilipatnam, 180 km east-northeast of Bapatla and 200 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam.
The weather agency said the system was very likely to recurve northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to the south of Yanam, as a very severe cyclonic storm.
In its latest assessment, the IMD said the cyclone was already interacting with the land surface, with the spiral band in its northern sector extending further inland.
The weather system is being continuously monitored by the Doppler Weather Radar at Machilipatnam.
Meanwhile, Prakhar Jain, Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA), said the landfall process was continuing off the Andhra Pradesh coast.
According to Jain, the cyclone’s centre was located around 30 km from Narsapur, 55 km from Yanam, 70 km from Kakinada and 90 km from Machilipatnam.
He warned that Kakinada, Konaseema and West Godavari districts could experience gusty winds reaching 125-135 kmph over the next three hours. Heavy rainfall was also forecast across several districts of the state.
The IMD has issued a red warning for extremely heavy rainfall in parts of Andhra Pradesh and adjoining regions, cautioning that the impact of the cyclone could extend to several neighbouring states.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at a few places on October 28, with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated locations in south Odisha. North Odisha may also experience heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places. Heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over interior Odisha on October 29.
The IMD has also forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over eastern Telangana on October 28.
Jharkhand is likely to receive heavy rainfall at isolated places on October 28, followed by heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated locations on October 29.
The IMD has advised close monitoring of the evolving weather system as the cyclone approaches the coast and its effects spread across Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states.
–IANS
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