IMD weather today: ‘Red’ alert for heavy rains in Odisha, Kerala, Tamil Nadu as severe cyclonic storm nears Andhra

The IMD uses colour-coded alerts to show how serious expected rainfall may be. A red alert signals an extreme threat and calls for urgent action. An orange alert warns of very heavy rain and possible disruption. A yellow alert signals heavy rain and the need for caution. These categories help residents and authorities prepare before conditions worsen.

In Kerala, Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Wayanad received red alerts because rainfall could exceed 20 centimetres in 24 hours. Ten other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Idukki, received orange alerts. Kasaragod received a yellow alert. The article also linked strong winds of 40-50 kmph with conditions across Kerala.

The alerts guide school closures, travel decisions, rescue readiness, and local warnings. Kerala shut educational institutions, adventure tourism sites, and trekking locations in red-alert districts. Odisha also closed schools, colleges, and Anganwadi centres in five districts. These steps reduce exposure before flooding and dangerous travel increase.

The approaching system is forecast to become a very severe cyclonic storm before landfall. Its maximum sustained winds are expected to reach 115-125 kmph, with gusts as high as 140 kmph. Such winds can damage infrastructure, uproot trees, and make travel dangerous. The storm is therefore a major coastal hazard, not simply a rain event.

The projected landfall area is near Andhra Pradesh, but southern Odisha is also expected to face severe weather. Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri could receive heavy to very heavy rain. Isolated locations may receive more than 20 centimetres. Gusty surface winds in these districts could reach 60-70 kmph.

The figures explain why authorities are acting before landfall. Schools, colleges, and Anganwadi centres in the five Odisha districts will close on October 28 and 29. Heavy rain may cause flooding and landslips, while strong winds can complicate rescue and restoration work. Conditions could worsen rapidly around October 28.

The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam. The IMD forecasts landfall by the forenoon of October 28, after the system intensifies into a very severe cyclonic storm. The projected landfall area is roughly 300 kilometres from Gopalpur in Odisha.

The storm’s strongest direct effects are expected near the Andhra coast and southern Odisha. Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri face very heavy rain and strong winds. Kerala is dealing with a separate period of heavy rain, including red-alert conditions in three districts. Tamil Nadu is also receiving heavy rain, but not mainly from this cyclone.

The IMD says the Bay of Bengal cyclone is unlikely to directly affect Tamil Nadu. Its current rain is linked to a trough associated with a cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep. This means several regions can experience severe weather simultaneously for different reasons.

A very severe cyclonic storm can combine several dangers at once. Strong winds may damage buildings, trees, roads, and power networks. Heavy rain can overwhelm drains and rivers, causing waterlogging and localised flooding. Near the coast, storm surges can push seawater inland and worsen flooding. These hazards can isolate communities and make emergency work harder.

The article already records these impacts across the southern states. Kerala has widespread waterlogging in low-lying areas. Tamil Nadu has suffered severe landslips in the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal ghat sections. The Coonnoor-Mettupalayam highway remains closed to traffic. In Cuddalore, disaster response teams rescued nine workers stranded on land surrounded by a swollen river.

Further disruption is possible as the cyclone approaches. Odisha expects extreme rain and gusty winds in five districts. Authorities have closed schools and tourist sites, while machinery and sandbags support restoration work in Tamil Nadu. Transport restrictions and early closures help keep people away from unstable slopes, flooded roads, and exposed coastal areas.

The weather systems affecting the three states have different origins and paths. Odisha is threatened by a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal that is expected to intensify and cross the Andhra Pradesh coast. Kerala is experiencing heavy rain under a separate active pattern, with strong winds forecast across the state. Tamil Nadu’s rain is tied to the northeast monsoon and another circulation.

The article specifically connects Tamil Nadu’s rainfall to a trough associated with a cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea and adjoining Lakshadweep. The Bay of Bengal cyclone is unlikely to directly affect the state. Meanwhile, Odisha’s rain and winds are linked to the approaching storm, which may bring more than 20 centimetres of rain in isolated areas.

This distinction matters because forecasts and precautions must match local causes. Tamil Nadu could see heavy to very heavy rain on October 26 and 27 before lighter showers on October 28. Odisha faces cyclone-related risks around October 28, while Kerala remains under varying alert levels.

Severe-weather safety depends on turning forecasts into timely action. The IMD identifies likely rainfall, winds, and affected districts through its alerts and bulletins. Governments can then close vulnerable facilities, restrict dangerous travel, and prepare emergency workers. These measures reduce the number of people exposed when roads flood, slopes fail, or winds intensify.

Odisha ordered schools, colleges, and Anganwadi centres closed in five districts on October 28 and 29. Kerala shut educational institutions, adventure tourism sites, and trekking locations in red-alert districts. Tamil Nadu deployed heavy machinery and sandbags for restoration work. Disaster response teams also rescued nine workers stranded on isolated land in a swollen river.

These actions cannot prevent the storm or stop all flooding. They can, however, create time for people to move away from danger and for responders to reach affected areas. Traffic restrictions on the Coonnoor-Mettupalayam highway and continued monitoring are especially important while landslips, rising water, and further heavy rain remain possible.

A tropical cyclone is a large, organized rotating storm that forms over warm tropical ocean water. It has a low-pressure centre and bands of thunderstorms around it. The article discusses a Bay of Bengal system that is forecast to become a very severe cyclonic storm, but it does not explain how cyclones form or intensify.

In general, warm ocean water fuels a cyclone through evaporation. Moist air rises in thunderstorms and releases heat as it condenses. This heat makes the air rise more strongly, lowering pressure near the centre. Air then flows inward, and Earth’s rotation helps organize the circulation. If winds high in the atmosphere do not disrupt the storm, it can become stronger.

A cyclone weakens when it moves over cooler water or land because its ocean energy source is reduced. The approaching system is expected to reach 115-125 kmph sustained winds, with gusts up to 140 kmph. That forecast explains the urgent closures and preparations before its expected October 28 landfall.