Bhubaneswar, Oct 26: Cyclonic Storm ‘Arnab’ (pronounced Ornab), over the eastcentral and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal, is moving west-northwestwards and is likely to intensify into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm before crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts by the forenoon of October 28, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday.

At 8.30 am, the storm was centred about 580 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, with maximum sustained winds of 65–75 kmph, gusting to 85 kmph. The system is expected to intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm by October 26 evening and a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm by October 27.

The storm is likely to cross the coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, with winds of 115–125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph.

The IMD has issued a Red warning for Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri for October 28–29, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall, with extremely heavy rain at isolated places. Thunderstorms and gusty winds of 60–70 kmph, reaching 80 kmph, are also likely.

An Orange warning has been issued for several districts on October 27–28, including Puri and Ganjam. Heavy rainfall is also forecast in parts of western Odisha on October 29–30. Authorities are expected to closely monitor the situation as the storm approaches the coast.

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