Odisha has closed schools, colleges and anganwadi centres in five southern districts and put dozens of disaster-response teams on alert ahead of Cyclone Arnab, which the India Meteorological Department expects to make landfall between north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha on October 28. Winds of 80–90 km/h and heavy to very heavy rainfall are forecast for the state's coastal and southern belt from October 25.
A low-pressure area that formed over the east-central and southeast Bay of Bengal on October 23 is on track to intensify into a cyclonic storm named Arnab by October 25 or 26, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cited by Aaj Tak. The name was assigned by Bangladesh under the regional cyclone-naming system, The Week reported.
Track and expected landfall
The IMD forecasts the system will move west-northwestward across the Bay of Bengal through October 26-27 before making landfall on the afternoon of October 28 somewhere between the coasts of north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha, The Week and Aaj Tak both reported. The Week said the storm carries a higher probability of striking the Andhra Pradesh coast than Odisha, though the exact landfall point remained uncertain as of October 24-25.
Wind speeds of 70-80 km/h with gusts up to 90 km/h are expected over the west-central Bay of Bengal between October 26 and 28, per Aaj Tak's IMD-sourced report. India TV and Odisha Ray both put expected wind speeds over Odisha's affected districts at 80-90 km/h, accompanied by heavy rainfall.
Schools closed, disaster teams deployed
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed cyclone preparedness and ordered schools, colleges and anganwadi (childcare) centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri districts closed on October 28 and 29, India TV and Odisha Ray reported. District collectors in other parts of the state can extend closures based on local conditions.
The state has put 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, 17 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and 225 fire service teams on alert, according to India TV and Odisha Ray. Officials said cyclone and flood shelters have been readied, fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea, and plans are in place to relocate patients and pregnant women from vulnerable coastal areas.
With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, we will achieve zero casualty this time as well.
— Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha, quoted by Odisha Ray
Which areas face the greatest risk
All four sourced reports — India TV, Aaj Tak, The Week and Odisha Ray — identify Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri as Odisha's most vulnerable districts. The Week additionally reported a red warning for Puri. Beyond Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, Aaj Tak listed Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and parts of Northeast India among regions likely to see knock-on rainfall, while The Week specified Kolkata, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore and Jhargram in West Bengal as areas expecting increased rain and gusty winds of 30-40 km/h around October 28-29.
Cyclone Arnab: key figures by source
Figure
Detail
Source
Expected landfall
October 28, afternoon, north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast
The Week, Aaj Tak
Peak winds (Bay of Bengal)
70-90 km/h gusts, Oct 26-28
Aaj Tak
Peak winds (Odisha coast)
80-90 km/h
India TV, Odisha Ray
ODRAF teams on alert
60
India TV, Odisha Ray
NDRF teams on alert
17
India TV, Odisha Ray
Fire service teams on alert
225
India TV, Odisha Ray
Most-affected districts
Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri
India TV, Odisha Ray, The Week
School/college closure dates
October 28-29
India TV, Odisha Ray
What remains uncertain
As of October 25, the IMD had not pinpointed the exact landfall location, and forecasts differed on whether Andhra Pradesh or Odisha would bear the brunt of the storm. No casualty or damage figures have been reported, since the system had yet to make landfall at the time of the cited reports. Rainfall totals also varied by source: Aaj Tak projected rain and strong winds for several areas from October 28-30, while The Week put Odisha's heaviest rain window at October 25-27 and forecast up to 110 mm in parts of South Bengal around October 28-29.
Background
Odisha's coast is struck by Bay of Bengal cyclones most years between October and December. Odisha Ray reported that state officials pointed to the successful handling of cyclones Dana and Montha, and of past flood situations, as the basis for the current "zero casualty" target for Cyclone Arnab.
Questions
When will Cyclone Arnab make landfall?
The India Meteorological Department expects landfall on the afternoon of October 28, somewhere between the coasts of north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha, though the precise location was still uncertain as of October 25, according to The Week and Aaj Tak.
How strong are the winds expected to be?
Forecasts cited by Aaj Tak put sustained winds at 70-80 km/h with gusts to 90 km/h over the Bay of Bengal between October 26 and 28; India TV and Odisha Ray reported expected winds of 80-90 km/h along Odisha's coastal and southern districts.
Which Odisha districts are closing schools?
Schools, colleges and anganwadi centres in Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri will stay closed on October 28 and 29, per India TV and Odisha Ray; other districts may add closures depending on local conditions.
How many disaster-response teams has Odisha deployed?
The state has put 60 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams, 17 National Disaster Response Force teams and 225 fire service teams on alert, according to India TV and Odisha Ray.
Where does the cyclone's name Arnab come from?
The Week reported that the storm, expected to be named Arnab (meaning "ocean"), is being assigned that name by Bangladesh under the regional cyclone-naming system used for the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.
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