Extremely severe cyclone Arnab hits Andhra Pradesh, one dead and heavy damage reported

An extremely severe cyclone named 'Arnab' has hit the Andhra Pradesh coast, causing heavy rainfall in the northern districts of the state. One person has died due to this natural calamity and widespread damage has been recorded. According to a BBC report, the Meteorological Department has confirmed that this cyclone was extremely severe and its centre formed very close to the coast.

According to information from the Meteorological Department, this cyclone hit the coast at 1:20 AM on 28 October. It made landfall in the area between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, south of Yanam. At the time of landfall, its maximum wind speed was 125-135 kmph, while the highest wind gust reached up to 150 kmph. The Meteorological Department stated through an official press note that the process of Cyclone Arnab making landfall was ongoing and a band of clouds and rain squalls from its northern part had reached the land. It was feared that this landfall process would continue for the next three hours.

Taking this severe situation into account, the Ministry of Civil Aviation held an important meeting. The Ministry ensured the safe operation of flights and reviewed the entire situation. According to the Ministry, flights arriving from and departing to areas of South Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh were most likely to be affected. Concerns regarding the impact of the cyclone in South Odisha also remained high.

The cyclone has caused heavy destruction in Visakhapatnam, where hundreds of trees have been uprooted. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation had cleared 55 uprooted trees by 6 PM on Tuesday. A total of 30 teams are working continuously to clear roads and restore normal traffic. Municipal Commissioner Ketan Garg inspected various parts of the East and South zones going to Gajuwaka. He urged officials to remain present at the scene and immediately remove debris and fallen trees. Sanitation workers were directed to work through the night.

Preparations had been made by the administration in the Yanam area, but there were difficulties in obtaining public cooperation. In this part of Puducherry, 20 relief camps had been established for 5,000 people, but despite repeated warnings, most people were not willing to leave their homes. Yanam's regional administrator Shivraj Meena told 'The Hindu', "Most people are not ready to go to relief camps. In such a situation, we had to deploy NDRF personnel and local police to persuade them." More than 100 NDRF personnel were deployed in Yanam city, which has a population of over 55,600, and roadside trees were trimmed to reduce damage. So far, only 2,000 people had reached the relief camps.

A flood-like situation also arose in Kakinada district. According to PTI, four people were trapped in water near the Bombay Katta area due to heavy rain and sea water inundation. According to a press note from the District Police, all four individuals had come on duty in the morning but remained trapped there until night as floodwaters completely surrounded them. They informed the police of their situation, after which rescue operations were undertaken and they were safely brought out and sent home.

Additionally, there were reports of three people being trapped in the SCWC warehouse located at Kakinada Anchorage Port. A flood-like situation had arisen there due to heavy rain and sea water entering the premises, and the power supply was completely disrupted. Workers on the night shift could not exit the warehouse. The police have advised people not to leave their homes unless it is absolutely necessary and to stay away from flood-affected areas.

There is also discussion regarding the name of this cyclone, 'Arnab'. According to the BBC, this name was suggested by Bangladesh. 'Arnab' is a Bengali word which means 'ocean' or 'sea'. This naming is part of the tropical cyclone naming system in the North Indian Ocean. This list includes a total of 52 names provided by 13 countries. These countries include India, Bangladesh, Iran, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. This naming list was adopted in April 2020. The Bay of Bengal is one of the prominent areas in the world where such tropical cyclones frequently occur.

On the other hand, according to a report by 'The Hindu', the impact of Cyclone Arnab was also seen in Telangana, where there was a significant drop in temperature. According to the Hyderabad centre of the India Meteorological Department, the temperature across the state decreased by 0.5°C to 2.5°C in the 24 hours ending Tuesday evening. The highest decrease of 2.5°C was recorded in Hanumkonda, while Bhadrachalam saw a decrease of 2.2°C and Ramagundam saw a decrease of 1.6°C. The Hyderabad Observatory recorded a decrease of 0.8°C. People had been experiencing coolness in the late evenings and early mornings for the last few days. The Meteorological Department predicted that this cold condition would continue on Wednesday and the impact of this cyclone would be seen in all 33 districts of Telangana.