New Delhi, October 26: Cyclone Arnab is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam as a very severe cyclonic storm by the forenoon of October 28, with sustained winds of 115-125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) told the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Monday.
Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan, who chaired the meeting, said the aim should be zero loss of life and as little damage as possible to property and infrastructure. Where damage does occur, essential services should be restored in the shortest possible time, he said.
Where the storm is now
The IMD Director General told the committee that the deep depression over the east-central and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal had moved nearly westwards and intensified into cyclonic storm Arnab. At 5.30 am on Monday it was centred about 590 km north-west of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, 650 km east-south-east of Visakhapatnam, 730 km east-south-east of Kakinada, 830 km east of Machilipatnam and 910 km east of Bapatla.
The storm is forecast to move west-north-westwards until October 27 and then north-westwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. After landfall it is likely to affect districts in Telangana, southern Odisha, and southern and central Chhattisgarh, as well as eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
States on alert
Chief Secretaries and senior officials of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and the Union Territory of Puducherry briefed the committee on their preparations. Shelters and evacuation arrangements are in place, NDRF and SDRF teams are on standby, and district control rooms have been activated to monitor the situation.
As heavy rainfall is also expected in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Cabinet Secretary directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and the IMD to alert both states.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the south-west and adjoining central Bay of Bengal, or along and off the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Yanam, from October 26 to 29. Those already at sea have returned.
Central forces kept ready
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said it has deployed teams, with more on standby. Rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard have been kept ready along with their ships and aircraft. The Coast Guard has guided several ships and boats to jetties and the shore, and has alerted the remaining vessels to return.
Central ministries told the committee that their standard operating procedures were in place, guidelines had been issued and precautions were being taken to limit damage. The Union Home Secretary said the Home Ministry, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the IMD were monitoring the storm continuously and coordinating with ministries, state governments and other agencies.
Secretaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Department of Fisheries, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Ministry of Power also attended, along with senior officials of the NDMA, the Integrated Defence Staff, the NDRF, the IMD and the Indian Coast Guard.
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