A powerful storm has struck India's eastern coast. Cyclone Arnab, a very severe cyclonic storm, completed its landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of Wednesday, 28 October 2026, crossing between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam near Yanam. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process lasted more than six hours, from around 2 am to 8 am Indian time, with maximum sustained winds of 125 to 135 kilometres per hour and gusts reaching up to 140 kilometres per hour.
The storm had formed from a low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal on 24 October, deepened into a depression on 25 October, became a cyclonic storm on 26 October, and then strengthened into a very severe cyclonic storm before hitting the coast.
Evacuations and damage so far:
More than 136,000 people were moved to safety ahead of the storm, including over 30,000 evacuated in Odisha alone. Trees were uprooted across several districts and power supply was disrupted in parts of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to clear fallen trees from roads within two hours and remove obstructions from national highways. At least two people died of electrocution in separate incidents in Andhra Pradesh during the cyclone, officials said on Wednesday.
Record rainfall:
Coastal Andhra Pradesh recorded extremely heavy rainfall. Visakhapatnam received 315 mm of rain, Anakapalli 275 mm, Srikakulam 257 mm and Krishna district 223 mm. In Odisha, Koraput recorded 188 mm, Ganjam 161 mm and Gajapati 135 mm. Parts of Odisha also recorded over 50 mm of rain in the morning, including Chandbali and Dhamnagar.
Travel disruption:
More than 90 train services were cancelled and services on dozens of routes along the southern coast were suspended between 27 and 29 October. Flights were also disrupted at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Rajahmundry airports, with several Delhi services cancelled. Passengers have been advised to check flight and train status before travelling.
What happens next:
The IMD says the system is now moving inland and weakening, but heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to continue across Andhra Pradesh, southern Odisha, Telangana and Chhattisgarh, and heavy rain has also been forecast for parts of West Bengal until 31 October. Residents in affected areas have been advised to follow official advisories and avoid venturing into flooded or low-lying areas.
What about Pakistan?
Cyclone Arnab made landfall on India's eastern coast and is moving inland, so it is not a direct landfall threat to Pakistan. However, the storm is a reminder of how quickly Bay of Bengal systems can strengthen, and people along Pakistan's Sindh coast should keep an eye on official weather updates during the cyclone season.
(Sources: India Meteorological Department bulletins; reported by Reuters, Press Trust of India, Tech Times, Hyderabad Mail and Daily Jagran.)
Urdu version:
28 اکتوبر 2026 کی صبح طوفان ارنب نے بھارت کے آندھرا پردیش کے ساحل سے ٹکرایا۔ یہ ایک شدید سمندری طوفان تھا جس کی ہواؤں کی رفتار 125 سے 135 کلومیٹر فی گھنٹہ رہی اور جھکڑ 140 کلومیٹر فی گھنٹہ تک پہنچے۔ طوفان سے پہلے ایک لاکھ 36 ہزار سے زیادہ لوگوں کو محفوظ مقامات پر منتقل کیا گیا، جن میں اڈیشہ کے 30 ہزار سے زیادہ افراد شامل ہیں۔ وشاکھاپٹنم میں 315 ملی میٹر بارش ریکارڈ ہوئی اور 90 سے زیادہ ٹرینیں منسوخ کر دی گئیں۔ آندھرا پردیش میں بجلی کی فراہمی متاثر ہوئی اور درخت اکھڑ گئے۔ محکمہ موسمیات کے مطابق طوفان اب کمزور ہو رہا ہے لیکن آندھرا پردیش، اڈیشہ، تلنگانہ اور مغربی بنگال میں مزید بھاری بارش کا امکان ہے۔ پاکستان کے لیے اس طوفان سے براہ راست کوئی خطرہ نہیں ہے۔
){kind=link}
0 Comments