New Delhi: Heavy rainfall triggered by Cyclone Arnab has disrupted normal life across Odisha, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a red warning for five southern districts as the storm continues its landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast.
Ganjam, Gajapati, Koraput, Rayagada and Malkangiri are under a red warning for extremely heavy rainfall. An Orange Warning has been issued for nine adjoining districts, while the remaining 16 districts are under a yellow warning for heavy showers, according to reports.
South Odisha has borne the brunt of the weather system, with continuous downpours reported across coastal and interior areas over the past 24 hours. The persistent rainfall has raised concerns over disruption to normal activities, particularly in districts under the highest weather alert.
Jagatsinghpur recorded more than 50 mm of daytime rainfall, while Paralakhemundi received over 40 mm. Among other locations, Puri recorded 78.3 mm, Chhatrapur 61.4 mm, Gopalpur 50 mm, Baripada 45.2 mm, Daringbadi 34 mm and Paradip 33 mm.
Bhubaneswar recorded 24.2 mm of rainfall by 5.30 pm, with the total rising to more than 30 mm by late evening.
Meanwhile, Cyclone Arnab continued its landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on Wednesday, with its centre remaining close to the shoreline, according to the IMD. The northern spiral band of the very severe cyclonic storm had moved further inland, and the landfall process was expected to continue for another three hours.
The storm was positioned over the west-central Bay of Bengal, around 30 km east of Narsapur, 45 km south-southwest of Yanam and 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada. It was expected to move northwestwards and cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, close to the south of Yanam.
The IMD warned that the system could produce sustained winds of up to 135 kmph, with gusts reaching 150 kmph, during the following three hours.
Heavy rain and strong winds affected parts of Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Konaseema districts in Andhra Pradesh, where officials also reported trees falling at several locations.
In Kakinada district, police rescued four people stranded near the Bombay Katta area after heavy rain and seawater flooded the surroundings. Three other people were reported stranded at the CWC godowns in Kakinada Anchorage Port, where flooding and a power cut prevented them from leaving the premises.
Police urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from flooded areas. People requiring emergency assistance were advised to call Dial 112 or the Kakinada Police Control Room.
With heavy rainfall continuing across Odisha under the influence of the cyclone, the weather warnings remain particularly significant for the state’s southern districts. The IMD’s alerts cover a wide area, with five districts under Red Warning, nine under Orange Warning, and the remaining 16 under Yellow Warning.
