Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan on Monday chaired a National Crisis Management Committee meeting to review preparedness for Cyclone Arnab, which is forecast to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of October 28.
According to the India Meteorological Department’s briefing to the committee, the storm is likely to make landfall as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained winds of 115–125 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph.
At 5.30 am on Monday, the storm was centred over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, about 650 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 730 km east-southeast of Kakinada.
It is expected to move west-northwestwards until October 27 before turning northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. The IMD said its subsequent impact could extend to Telangana, southern Odisha, south and central Chhattisgarh, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Reviewing preparations, Somanathan stressed that the objective must be to prevent any loss of life and minimise damage to property and infrastructure. He directed agencies to restore essential services as quickly as possible in the event of disruption.
He also asked the Home Ministry and IMD to alert eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where heavy rainfall is expected.
Chief secretaries and senior officials from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry informed the committee that shelters and evacuation arrangements were in place. District control rooms had been activated, while National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams were on standby.
The NDRF said teams had been deployed, with additional personnel kept ready. Rescue and relief teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard (ICG), along with ships and aircraft, were also on standby.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the southwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal and along and off the Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Yanam coasts from October 26 to 29. Officials told the committee that fishermen already at sea had returned.
The Coast Guard said it had guided several ships and boats to jetties and the shore, while alerting remaining vessels to return to the coast.
Central ministries and departments said standard operating procedures and precautionary measures were in place to reduce potential damage. The Union Home Secretary said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and IMD were continuously monitoring the situation and coordinating with states and other agencies.
