- Cyclone Arnab caused severe disruptions in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
- Schools closed, bridges submerged, and thousands evacuated in affected areas.
- IMD issued heavy rainfall alerts for 22 states across India.
Cyclone Arnab made landfall along the eastern coast between 11 pm and 1 am last night, bringing severe disruptions across northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha. The storm continues to trigger heavy rainfall and destructive winds, leaving emergency teams on high alert across both states as damage assessments get underway.
Schools Closed in 8 Districts, Orange Alert Issued in Odisha
Eight Odisha districts - Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput, Puri and Nabarangpur - have announced school closures amid the bad weather. Anganwadi centres in the affected districts have also been shut.While students have the holidays for the inclement weather, teachers and staff have been asked to come to the educational institutions.
The IMD has issued a red alert for Nabarangpur district, where rainfall of more than 20 cm is expected. An orange alert has been issued for Bargarh, Nuapada, Balangir, Kalahandi, Koraput and Malkangiri.
Nearly 8,000 people have been shifted to safer locations. Traffic has come to a standstill in Malkangiri after four bridges were submerged. National highways have been closed for safety reasons. In Bhadrak, storm winds sank 10 fishermen's boats and damaged several others. Several boats also broke and sank in the Chilika Lake area.
Winds of up to 75 km per hour gusted in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. Low-lying areas in Vijayawada were flooded, and several schools were closed. Fishermen were urged not to venture into the sea until Friday morning. Heavy rain and thunderstorm alerts were also issued for parts of West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
IMD Issues Alert Issued For 22 States Today
According to the India Meteorological Department, an alert has been issued for 22 states and union territories on Friday. Parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana were issued a heavy rainfall alert.
Light rainfall is expected in parts of Delhi-NCR and Karnataka. Rain accompanied by strong winds is also expected in the northeastern states, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Kerala.
A relentless downpour accompanied by thunderstorms is likely to lash over certain parts eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Very heavy rain is also possible over Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In Delhi, the sky will be partly cloudy with light rain possible. The maximum temperature is expected to be 34 degrees Celsius, and the minimum temperature is expected to be 23 degrees Celsius.