Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab is hurtling toward India’s eastern coast, and officials in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are racing to prepare before it makes landfall on Wednesday morning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says the storm will cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts close to Yanam, between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, packing destructive winds and extremely heavy rain.
Where the storm is now
On Tuesday morning, October 27, 2026, the very severe cyclonic storm lay over the west-central Bay of Bengal, about 300 km southeast of Visakhapatnam and 360 km east-southeast of Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. It was moving west-northwestwards at around 25 kmph, according to the IMD’s morning bulletin.
The storm formed over the Bay of Bengal on Monday morning, October 26, and strengthened rapidly, becoming a severe cyclonic storm by Monday evening. Forecasters expect it to continue moving west-northwestwards through Tuesday evening before turning northwestwards toward the coast.
When and where it will hit
The IMD expects Cyclone Arnab to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to Yanam, by the forenoon of Wednesday, October 28, as a very severe cyclonic storm. Maximum sustained wind speeds are forecast at 115 to 125 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 140 kmph.
Sea conditions are expected to deteriorate sharply as the storm approaches, becoming phenomenal along parts of the Andhra Pradesh coast around the time of landfall. The IMD has warned of squally winds along the coast from Tuesday morning, strengthening through the night into Wednesday morning.
Red alerts and extremely heavy rain
The IMD has issued red alerts for seven districts in Andhra Pradesh for Tuesday. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall of 200 mm or more is likely in Kakinada, East Godavari, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru, West Godavari, Alluri Sitharama Raju and Anakapalli districts.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall of around 70 to 200 mm is also likely across Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Bapatla, Srikakulam and Parvathipuram Manyam districts on Tuesday. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam are expected to receive extremely heavy rainfall on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Southern Odisha districts have already started receiving rain as the storm approaches, and extremely heavy rain is forecast for parts of Odisha, including Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri, on October 27 and 28.
States on high alert
Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have closed schools in vulnerable areas, prohibited fishing along the coast and kept rescue teams on standby, aiming for zero loss of life and minimal damage to infrastructure. Andhra Pradesh has deployed seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) battalions and eight State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) battalions to districts likely to be affected.
Coastal patrolling has been intensified and marine police put on alert. Power utilities in Andhra Pradesh have kept more than 4,000 personnel ready for restoration work once the storm passes. Railways have cancelled 53 trains as a precaution, and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the west-central Bay of Bengal or along the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.
Rain to spread far inland
The impact of Cyclone Arnab will extend well beyond the coast. Telangana could receive extremely heavy rainfall on Wednesday, while Chhattisgarh is likely to see extremely heavy showers on October 28 and 29. Kolkata and other parts of Gangetic West Bengal are forecast to receive heavy rain on October 28 and 29, with Jharkhand, Bihar and parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh also likely to see heavy rainfall later in the week.
What residents should do
Authorities are urging people in coastal districts to stay indoors during the storm, avoid travelling through flooded roads, and follow instructions from the IMD, state disaster management authorities and district administrations. Fishermen and coastal residents should stay away from the sea until the storm has fully passed.
Officials will continue to update the storm’s track and intensity through the day, and the forecast landfall point and timing may still shift slightly. Residents should rely on official bulletins rather than rumours on social media for the latest information.